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symphonique

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Etymology and origin of the French word symphonique

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1674 before 1674, Dassoucy, Aventures burlesques More words from the 17th century
Ultimate origin
French symphonie,-ique

Pronunciation

  • /sɛ̃.fɔ.nik/[1]

Forms

symphonique (plural symphoniques)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French symphonie + -ique, from the noun's musical sense of the 17th century.[2][3][4][5]

The phrase poème symphonique is a calque of the German symphonische Dichtung, used by Liszt (1848);[2][3][6] the English symphonic poem is recorded from 1864.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Dassoucy, before 1674, has corps simphonique, used ironically for a band of people playing music together.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The adjective followed the history of symphonie: it first referred to the symphony in the older sense (late 17th century), then in the modern sense of an orchestral work (late 18th and early 19th centuries), especially in musique symphonique as opposed to chamber music.[3][6] In music theory, the 1765 Encyclopédie uses it in the etymological sense “consonant”, for the intervals of the fourth, fifth and octave.[2][3][7]

Poème symphonique appears in 1872 according to Rey and the Petit Robert (in Saint-Saëns in 1885 in the TLFi), and orchestre symphonique in 1885, for the large orchestra of the Beethovenian and Romantic symphony.[3][6][2] The adverb symphoniquement is found in Zola (1886) and is rare.[3]

Timeline

  • before 1674 – Dassoucy's corps simphonique.[2][3]
  • 1765 – The Encyclopédie uses it for consonant intervals.[2][7]
  • 1872 – Poème symphonique is recorded.[3][6]
  • 1885 – Saint-Saëns writes poème symphonique and Gevaert orchestre symphonique.[2]
  • 1886 – Zola uses the adverb symphoniquement.[3]
  • 1906 – Concert symphonique in the Petit Larousse.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Relating to the symphony, or to classical music for a large orchestra, symphonic: une suite symphonique, la musique symphonique.[6][8][2][4]
  2. Orchestre symphonique: a large orchestra with every family of instruments.[8][6]
  3. Poème symphonique: a symphonic poem, a fairly long orchestral work illustrating a theme.[6][9]
  4. (music theory, historical) Consonant, said of intervals.[2][7]

Word family

  • symphoniquement
  • symphonie
  • symphoniste

References

  1. ^ a b 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 c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
  5. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
  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. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Symphonique.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/symphonique. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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