polymère

Forms

polymère m (plural polymères)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek πολυμερής (polumerḗs, “consisting of many parts”) adapted into French,^[2][3] from πολύς (polús, “many”) and μέρος (méros, “part”).^[3][4] Rey and Wiktionary analyse it as formed from French poly- + -mère.^[5][1] The chemical term was coined by the Swedish chemist Berzelius, in 1831 according to Cottez as cited by the TLFi;^[2] the Grand Robert gives the German polymer of Berzelius, 1833, as the model.^[6] The earlier zoological name goes back to scientific Latin polymera (1821).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record, in the 1842 complement to the Académie's dictionary, is the name of a genus of dipteran insects.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

In chemistry the word was first an adjective: Élie de Beaumont wrote of a isomorphisme polymère in 1847, and Littré defines composés polymères as compounds with the same elements in the same proportions but not the same absolute amounts.^[2][4] The noun appears in Berthelot in 1876, for the series of polymers of acetylene.^[2][7] The BHVF judges the date 1842 given by the GLLF for the chemical noun to be a mistake.^[7]

In modern chemistry it names a large molecule built up from many smaller ones, the monomers, and the word became central with industrial chemistry and plastics.^[5][8] Haut polymère “high polymer” is recorded from 1961.^[2]

Timeline

• 1842 – The Académie's complement records it as the name of a genus of insects.^[2]
• 1847 – Élie de Beaumont uses it as a chemical adjective.^[2]
• 1869 – Littré records the adjective.^[6][7]
• 1869 – The derivatives polymériser and polymérisation appear.^[5]
• 1876 – Berthelot uses it as a noun.^[2][7]
• 1961 – First record of haut polymère.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (chemistry) A polymer: a macromolecule formed by the joining of many smaller molecules, alike or not; the opposite of monomère.^[2][8]
2. Haut polymère: a high polymer, with a very high degree of polymérisation.^[2][3]

Adjective

1. (chemistry) Said of a substance whose molecule is formed by the association of several molecules of another substance.^[3][4]

Word family

• polymériser
• polymérisation
• polymérase

Related words

• monomère
• polymérie
• métamère
• Ancient Greek πολυμερής (polumerḗs)

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert