submersible

Forms

submersible (plural submersibles)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned derivative from Latin submersus (“submerged”), the past participle of submergō (“to sink, engulf”), with the suffix -ible.^[2][3][1] The Latin verb is from mergō (“to dip, plunge”) with sub- (“under”).^[2] Insubmersible is recorded earlier, in 1775,^[2] and Rey notes an older derivative of the Latin word, Middle French submersable (1512).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1798–99 in Richard's edition of Bulliard's Dictionnaire de botanique, for a water plant that sinks below the surface after flowering.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

From the 1840s it meant “liable to be submerged, flooded”, of land.^[2][4][5] It was then applied to machines able to work under water, and by 1899 to a ship, navire submersible.^[4][6] As a noun, un submersible (1904) named a submarine with external ballasts, designed to sail better on the surface; the name was used for the French ocean-going submarines until 1914.^[2][4][5]

English submersible is recorded from 1862, and as a noun for a submersible craft from 1900.^[7]

Timeline

• 1798 – Richard uses it in botany.^[2][3]
• 1842 – The Académie's supplement records “that can be submerged”.^[2][6]
• 1899 – Navire submersible is recorded.^[6][4]
• 1904 – The Nouveau Larousse illustré records the noun “submarine”.^[2][5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. That can be submerged or flooded: des prés submersibles.^[6][2][8]
2. (technology) Able to work under water: une pompe submersible.^[6][2]
3. (botany) Of a water plant: that sinks below the surface after flowering.^[6][2][8]

Noun

1. A type of submarine with external ballasts, built to sail well on the surface.^[6][5]

Related words

• submerger
• submersion
• insubmersible
• immersion

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 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
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 d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette