thoracique

Forms

thoracique (plural thoraciques)^[1] Middle French thorachique (Paré); the spelling thoracique is recorded from 1660 (Oudin) according to the Grand Robert and the GLLF, from 1690 (Furetière) according to the TLFi.^[2][3][4][5]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek θωρακικός (thōrakikós, “of the thorax, of the chest”),^[2][1][4] formed on θώραξ (thṓrax, “chest”), the source of thorax.^[2][1][6] Rey treats it as derived from the noun, the present spelling (1660) being a remaking of the earlier thorachique.^[5] The zoological plural follows New Latin thoracici, used by Linnaeus (1766).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Paré writes of the muscles thorachiques, the muscles of the chest; the TLFi dates the text to 1575, the Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and the GLLF to about 1560.^{[2][3][7][4][6]}

Semantic evolution

Cotgrave records artere and veine thorachique in 1611.^[2] The phrase cage thoracique is recorded from 1856,^[2] and Littré lists canal thoracique and membres thoraciques, the upper limbs.^[4][6] In 1803 Boiste used thoraciques as a masculine plural noun for a group of fishes.^[2][4]

Timeline

• 1575 – Paré writes muscles thorachiques.^[2]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records artere thorachique.^[2]
• 1660 – Oudin has the spelling thoracique.^[3][4][5]
• 1803 – Boiste records thoraciques for a group of fishes.^[2]
• 1856 – Cage thoracique is recorded.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or relating to the thorax: cage thoracique (the ribcage), cavité thoracique.^[7][2]
2. Canal thoracique: the main trunk of the lymphatic system, the thoracic duct.^[7][4][6]

Noun

1. (zoology, dated) In the masculine plural, a group of bony fishes in older classifications.^[2][4]

Related words

• thorax
• abdominal
• Ancient Greek θώραξ (thṓrax)

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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 f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert