socialiste

Forms

socialiste (plural socialistes)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French social + -iste.^[2][1][3] The adjective social is from Latin sociālis (“made to live in company”), from socius (“companion”).^[4]

Earlier and nearly contemporary uses abroad may have influenced the French word: Grotius used New Latin socialistus, applied in the 18th century to his disciples; Italian socialista is attested from 1765 for those who believed in a society founded on a contract between free and equal men; and English socialist is found in 1822 in a letter to Robert Owen.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in 1798, uses it for an opponent of the Revolution, an ally of the royalists.^[2][4][3]

Semantic evolution

In its modern sense it appears as a noun in 1833 (Bloch and Wartburg: 1830), for a supporter of economic or social reform, in the Fourierist paper La Réforme industrielle ou le Phalanstère;^[2][4][3] socialisme is dated 1831.^[4] The adjective, “relating to the doctrines of the socialists”, is recorded in Mozin's dictionary in 1842.^[2][5][6] About 1920 it came to describe a state or regime that claims to follow socialism.^[5]

Timeline

• 1765 – Italian socialista is attested.^[2]
• 1798 – Socialiste is used for an opponent of the Revolution.^[2]
• 1822 – English socialist appears in a letter to Robert Owen.^[2]
• 1833 – The noun is used for a supporter of social reform.^[2]
• 1842 – Mozin records the adjective.^[2]
• c. 1920 – It is applied to regimes that claim to be socialist.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Socialist, relating to socialism or professing it: parti socialiste.^[6][7][8]
2. Belonging to a socialist party.^[7]
3. Of a state or regime that claims to follow socialism.^[5]

Noun

1. A socialist, a supporter of socialism or a member of a socialist party; familiarly shortened to socialo.^[7][8][6]

Related words

• social
• socialisme
• société
• Latin socius
• English socialist

References

1. ^ a b c 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
8. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)