Etymologically
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transformer

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /tʁɑ̃s.fɔʁ.me/[1]

Forms

transformer[1] Old French tresformer, a more popular form used from the 12th to the 14th century.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is a learned remaking (about 1300) of Old French tresformer, borrowed from Latin trānsfōrmō (“to change in shape, metamorphose”).[2][5][3] The Latin verb is formed from trāns (“across, beyond”) and fōrmō (“to shape”), from fōrma (“form”).[2][5]

The Latin word also gave Occitan transformar, Spanish transformar and Italian trasformare.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Jean de Meun's translation of Boethius (about 1300) uses it for giving a person or thing a new form, and transformer en for making something take the form or nature of another.[5]

Semantic evolution

The pronominal se transformer is found early in the 14th century, in the Ovide moralisé.[5][2] From about 1370 (Oresme) it was used of any thorough change, concrete or abstract, as when sermons cannot transformer et convertir à bien such people.[2][6]

It took special uses in mathematics, transformer une équation (1755, Encyclopédie), and in rugby, transformer un essai “to convert a try” (1891).[5][2] Its derivatives include transformable (1555), transformateur (1575; in electricity from 1842, shortened to transfo) and transformisme (1867, Broca), the theory of evolution by successive changes.[2]

Timeline

  • 12th century – Tresformer, in the Dialogues de saint Grégoire.[3]
  • c. 1300 – Transformer, in Jean de Meun.[5][3]
  • early 14th century – Se transformer, in the Ovide moralisé.[5]
  • 1375 – The noun transformation is borrowed.[2]
  • 1755 – Transformer une équation, in the Encyclopédie.[5]
  • 1842 – Transformateur in electricity.[2]
  • 1867 – Transformisme, in Broca.[2]
  • 1891 – Transformer un essai in rugby.[5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To transform, change the form or character of: transformer une maison, transformer une matière première, to process it.[7][1]
  2. To change (someone) visibly for the better: son séjour à l'étranger l'a transformé.[7]
  3. Transformer en: to turn into: Circé transforma les compagnons d'Ulysse en pourceaux.[3]
  4. (reflexive) Se transformer: to change, be turned (into something).[5][1]
  5. (mathematics) To change (an equation or figure) into an equivalent one.[5][3]
  6. (rugby) Transformer un essai: to convert a try.[5][2]

Word family

  • transformateur
  • transformable
  • transformée
  • transformisme

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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ 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
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert