réacteur

Forms

réacteur m (plural réacteurs)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French réaction + -eur as a learned word, during the French Revolution by replacing the ending of the noun.^[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1794 for a supporter of political reaction against the Revolution, and as an adjective in 1797, in Babeuf.^[2][3] The Petit Robert dates this sense to 1790.^[5]

Semantic evolution

The political sense was used in the 19th century, until réactionnaire replaced it.^[3][4]

An isolated technical use, cylindres réacteurs, is found in 1817.^[2][3] The word was taken up again in the 1940s: it named a jet engine (1949), a nuclear reactor, réacteur nucléaire (1949), and a vessel in which a chemical reaction takes place with a catalyst (1975).^[2][3]

Timeline

• 1794 – First recorded for a partisan of political reaction.^[2][6]
• 1797 – Babeuf uses it as an adjective.^[2]
• 1817 – Cylindres réacteurs is found in a technical text.^[2]
• 1949 – It names a jet engine, and réacteur nucléaire appears.^[2][4]
• 1975 – It names a chemical reactor.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A jet engine or other engine that works by reaction.^[5][1]
2. (chemistry) A vessel in which a chemical reaction is carried out.^[5][2]
3. A nuclear reactor, réacteur nucléaire.^[5][2]

Adjective

1. (dated, politics) Reactionary; also as a noun, a reactionary.^[2][4][7]

Word family

• turboréacteur
• statoréacteur
• biréacteur

Related words

• réaction
• réactionnaire
• réagir

References

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