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radio

Etymology and origin of the French word radio

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Clipping
First attested
1907; 1915 (radiotélégramme)
Ultimate origin
Latin (radius)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁa.djo/[1]

Forms

radio f (plural radios)[1]

Etymology

It is a clipping of several compounds in radio-: radiotélégramme, radiotélégraphiste, radiographie, radiodiffusion and others.[2][3][4][1] English radio developed the same senses from 1906 to 1922.[2] The element goes back to Latin radius (“ray”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Grand Robert dates the clipping to 1907; the TLFi finds radio “radiotelegram” in soldiers' slang in 1915 and “radio operator” in 1917.[3][2]

Semantic evolution

Martin du Gard (1922) uses la radio for radiography, and Céline (1936) for an X-ray photograph.[2] Giraudoux (1926) uses it for broadcasting, Saint-Exupéry (1931) has des postes radio, and Julien Green (1933) uses it for the receiving set.[2] The masculine un radio, the radio operator of a ship or aircraft, is common in Saint-Exupéry.[2][4][6] From broadcasting came a radio station, radios périphériques and the radios libres of the 1980s.[4]

Timeline

  • 1907 – The clipping, according to the Grand Robert.[3]
  • 1915 – “Radiotelegram”.[2]
  • 1917 – “Radio operator”.[2]
  • 1922 – “Radiography”, Martin du Gard.[2]
  • 1926 – “Broadcasting”, Giraudoux.[2]
  • 1933 – A receiving set, Green.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (feminine) radio, broadcasting: écouter la radio, passer à la radio.[4][1]
  2. (feminine) A radio set: allumer la radio; a radio station: une radio locale.[4][2]
  3. (feminine) An X-ray: passer une radio.[4][1]
  4. (masculine) A radio operator: le radio de bord.[4][1]
  5. (masculine, dated) A radiotelegram.[4][1]

Usage notes

The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert give separate numbered entries to the masculine radio (radiogram, radio operator) and the feminine (radiography, broadcasting).[3][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 10, 25a
  6. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
Cite this entry

“Radio.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/radio. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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