stabiliser

Forms

stabiliser^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French stable + -iser, with the stem reshaped after Latin stabilis (“steady, firm”).^[2][3][1][4] The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert likewise derive it from the Latin stem of stable.^[5][6] The adjective itself replaced Old French estable in the 15th century, remodelled on the Latin word, which comes from stō (“to stand, remain”).^[3]

An older reflexive verb, se stabilier (“to settle in a position or post”), is found in the memoirs of Saint-Simon (1740–1755).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It was first a term of political economy: about 1789 Dupont de Nemours, in a note to Turgot quoted by Brunot, used it in the sense “to make lasting, permanent”.^[2][7] The Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and Bloch and Wartburg date it to about 1780.^[5][6][3]

Semantic evolution

In the 19th century the sense widened:^[3] Bescherelle (1845–1846) records it for making a government or institutions stable, and the DHLF dates from the same time the general sense of giving stability or balance to something, abstract or concrete.^[2][8][4]

In the 20th century it became technical: Larousse recorded in 1933 the sense of fixing a currency at an unchanging rate, and the metallurgical sense of restoring a metal's molecular balance by heat treatment;^[2][7] in the sciences it means bringing a system or substance into a stable state.^[8][6] From the end of the 19th century it is also said of giving stability to a vehicle,^[6] and in 1964 Larousse recorded its use in the oil industry, for removing the lightest fractions from crude oil or petrol.^[4]

The noun stabilisation dates from about the same time as the verb (about 1780) and was applied to currency in 1926; stabilisateur followed in 1877.^[8][3]

Timeline

• c. 1789 – Dupont de Nemours uses it for making something lasting.^[2]
• 1845–1846 – Bescherelle records it of governments and institutions.^[2][4]
• 1877 – First record of the derivative stabilisateur.^[3][8]
• 1933 – Larousse records the monetary and metallurgical senses.^[2]
• 1964 – Larousse records the oil-refining sense.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To make stable, to keep from changing: of a currency, prices, institutions or a situation.^[6][2][9]
2. (reflexive) Se stabiliser: to become or become again stable.^[6][10]
3. (sciences) To bring a system or substance into a stable state.^[6][8]
4. To give stability to a vehicle, an aircraft or a ship, to keep it in equilibrium; also to consolidate a road surface or soil.^[6][2]
5. (metallurgy) To restore the molecular balance of a metal by suitable heat treatment.^[2]
6. (petroleum) To remove the lightest fractions from crude oil or petrol so that it is less volatile.^[4]

Word family

• déstabiliser
• stabilisation
• stabilisateur

Related words

• stabilité
• établir
• stable
• Latin stabilis

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette