sous-marin

Forms

sous-marin m (plural sous-marins)^[1] As an adjective: feminine sous-marine, plurals sous-marins, sous-marines.^[1] First written soumarin (1555–1557); sous-marin from 1729.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French sous- + marin (“of the sea”).^[2][4][5][1] The adjective is from Latin marīnus (“of the sea”), from mare (“sea”).^[5][6]

For the noun “submarine” the TLFi compares the English word submarine, recorded in that sense in 1899.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Charles Toutain's Agamemnon has soumarin “lying under the waves, at the bottom of the sea”; the TLFi dates the edition 1557, the GLLF and the Grand Robert 1555.^[2][3][4] The word was rare before it was taken up again in 1729.^[5][4]

Semantic evolution

The adjective became a term of navigation with navigation sous-marine (Académie, 1835) and bateau sous-marin (1858).^[2] The Quemada datings find bateau sous-marin as early as 1840, in the Magasin pittoresque.^[7]

The noun un sous-marin, a vessel built to sail under water, is dated 1875 by Bloch and Wartburg, 1896 by the TLFi and 1907 by Rey.^[5][2][8] Figuratively it is used of a person with secret aims.^[8] The derivative sous-marinier “submariner” dates from 1934, and anti-sous-marin from 1918.^[8][2]

Timeline

• 1557 – Soumarin appears in Toutain's Agamemnon.^[2]
• 1729 – The spelling sous-marin is found in Bourguet's letters.^[2][3]
• 1835 – The Académie records navigation sous-marine.^[2]
• 1840 – Bateau sous-marin appears in the Magasin pittoresque.^[7]
• 1875 – Used as a noun for the vessel.^[5]
• 1899 – The English noun submarine is recorded.^[2]
• 1918 – anti-sous-marin is first recorded.^[8]
• 1934 – sous-marinier is first recorded.^[2][8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Underwater, situated or living under the sea or on the sea floor: relief sous-marin, faune sous-marine.^[9][2]
2. Done or travelling under the surface of the sea: plongée sous-marine, pêche sous-marine, for example Ils ont filmé une épave lors d'une plongée sous-marine.^[9][2]

Noun

1. A submarine: sous-marin nucléaire, sous-marin de poche (a very small one).^[9][2]
2. (figurative) A person with secret aims, working covertly inside a group.^[8][9]
3. (North America) A submarine sandwich.^[1]

Word family

• sous-marinier
• anti-sous-marin

Related words

• marin
• mer
• submersible
• Latin marīnus

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 6/1, 345b
7. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert