Etymologically
Log in

politique

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 14:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /pɔ.li.tik/[1]

Forms

politique (plural politiques)[1]

Etymology

The adjective is borrowed from Latin polīticus (“relating to government”), from Ancient Greek πολιτικός (politikós, “of citizens; of the state; skilled in public affairs”), from πολίτης (polítēs, “citizen”), from πόλις (pólis, “city”) (see police).[2][3][4][5][6] The feminine noun “politics” is taken from Latin politice, itself borrowed in the 2nd century from πολιτική (politikḗ), understood with τέχνη (tékhnē, “art”), “the political art”.[5][7][8] The masculine noun was taken from the adjective.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The noun is first found in Brunetto Latini's Livre du Trésor (1265), but is rare before the 17th century; the adjective is in Nicole Oresme (1365), meaning proper to good government, judicious.[4][5][2]

Semantic evolution

Oresme also used the adjective (about 1370) in the neutral sense “concerning the government of men”, the most general sense today, as in économie politique (1615).[2][3] About 1485 it described a person wise and skilful in governing, and in 1636 one who adapts to every circumstance, a sense now lost.[2] From the 18th century it qualified the exercise of power: corps politique (1721), science politique (1770), droits politiques (1789), opinions politiques (1790), délits politiques (1815) and détenus politiques (1848).[2][3]

As a masculine noun un politique was a police officer (1559), then during the Wars of Religion a member of the party that sought political rather than religious solutions (1589), a statesman (before 1621) and a political prisoner (1858).[2][3][7] The feminine la politique is the art of governing and, by extension, any concerted course of action.[9][10]

Timeline

  • 1265 – The noun in Brunetto Latini.[4]
  • 1365 – The adjective, Oresme.[2]
  • 1559 – Un politique, a police officer.[2]
  • 1589 – Les Politiques in the Wars of Religion.[2]
  • 1615 – Économie politique, Montchrestien.[2]
  • 1750 – Impolitique.[5]
  • 1789 – Droits politiques, Sieyès.[2]
  • 1838–39 – Politicailler, Barbey d'Aurevilly.[2]
  • 1949 – Apolitique and politiser.[5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. political: relating to government and the exercise of power: un homme politique, un parti politique, prisonnier politique.[9][11][1]
  2. (dated) Shrewd, diplomatic.[2][3]

Noun

  1. La politique (feminine): politics, the art and practice of government: faire de la politique.[9][1]
  2. Une politique (feminine): a policy: la politique étrangère, politique de l'emploi.[10][9]
  3. Un politique (masculine): a statesman, a politician, (historical) a political prisoner.[3][2]
  4. Le politique (masculine): the political sphere: le politique et le social.[10]

Word family

  • politicien
  • politiquement
  • politiquer
  • impolitique
  • apolitique
  • politiser
  • politisation
  • dépolitiser
  • politicaille

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 131a
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 130b
  9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  11. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)