saxophone

Forms

saxophone m (plural saxophones)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French saxo- + -phone, saxo- being taken from the name of the instrument's inventor, Adolphe Sax (1814–1894).^[2][3][4][1] Rey names both Charles-Joseph Sax (1791–1863) and his son Adolphe, Belgians settled in Paris, as the inventors.^[3] -phone is from Ancient Greek φωνή (phōnḗ, “voice, sound”).^[4][5][6]

English saxophone (1851) is borrowed from the French word.^[7][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded on 27 August 1843 in La France musicale,^[2][5] naming the brass wind instrument with a single reed and keys that Adolphe Sax had invented about 1840.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its single sense.^[3] English took it over quickly, in 1851.^[3][7] The short form saxo appears at the beginning of the 20th century,^[5][3] and also stands for saxophoniste (1934 according to the TLFi, 1938 according to Rey).^[2][3] Sax, which had named an instrument of the saxophone family in 1846, came to be used for the saxophone in jazz circles about 1970, as an Americanism.^[3]

Timeline

• 1843 – La France musicale uses the word (27 August).^[2][5]
• 1844 – Huart uses it.^[8]
• 1851 – English borrows it.^[3][7]
• Early 20th century – The short form saxo appears.^[5][3]
• 1934 – Saxophoniste is recorded.^[2]
• c. 1970 – Sax is used for the saxophone in jazz.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A saxophone, a brass wind instrument with a single reed, a clarinet-like mouthpiece and keys: Il joue du saxophone dans un groupe.^[9][5][1]
2. Saxophone ténor, saxophone alto: the tenor and alto saxophones, the members of the family.^[9]

Word family

• saxophoniste
• saxo

Related words

• saxhorn
• English saxophone

Usage notes

It is often shortened to saxo and, in jazz, to sax.^[5][3][9]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e 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 j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert