rénal

Forms

rénal (feminine rénale, masculine plural rénaux, feminine plural rénales)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin renālis (“of the kidneys”), a word of Late Latin medicine found from the 5th century,^[2][3][1] from rēn (“kidney”).^[2][4][5][6] The inherited word for the organ is rein.^[1][3]

The borrowed adjective replaced the French formation reineux “of the kidneys”, recorded from 1571 to 1611.^[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1314 in the Chirurgie of Henri de Mondeville, of what belongs to the kidneys.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

Taken over by physicians, rénal became the adjective of rein in anatomy and medicine,^[3] first in phrases such as veines rénales (about 1560, Paré), then plexus rénal (1870), artères rénales (1875) and loge rénale (1964).^[3][7] It now covers the organ itself, its study and treatment, and the diseases that affect it.^[2]

Timeline

• 1314 – Henri de Mondeville uses it in his Chirurgie.^[2][7]
• c. 1560 – Paré writes of the veine renale.^[3][5]
• 1571–1611 – The rival adjective reineux is recorded.^[3][2]
• 1765 – The compound surrénal appears.^[8]
• 1870 – Plexus rénal is recorded.^[3][7]
• 1964 – Loge rénale is recorded.^[3][7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (anatomy) Of the kidneys; renal, artère rénale, veine rénale.^[2][9][7]
2. (medicine) Relating to the study, examination or treatment of the kidneys, as greffe rénale “kidney transplant”.^[2]
3. (pathology) Affecting the kidneys, as calcul rénal “kidney stone” and insuffisance rénale “kidney failure”.^[2][9]

Word family

• surrénal

Related words

• rein
• néphrétique
• Latin rēn

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 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 g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 10, 251a
7. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert