transfuser

Forms

transfuser^[1] Middle French had the adjective transfus (“transfused”) (1548) and the verb transfundre (“to pass on, transmit”) (1542).^[2]

Etymology

It is from Middle French transfus (“transfused”), with the verb ending -er.^[2][3][4] That adjective is the past participle of transfundre, borrowed from Latin transfundō (“to pour from one vessel into another”), figuratively “to pour out on, spread”.^[2][5] The Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and Littré derive the verb directly from the supine of the Latin verb, formed from trāns- (“beyond”) and fundō (“to pour”).^[6][7][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded on 6 February 1668 in the Journal des savants, which reports a spaniel into which sheep's blood had been transfused.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The verb and the noun transfuseur (1667, then “supporter of transfusion”) date from the time when blood transfusion was first tried; because the practice was then forbidden, the words only spread in their medical sense in the 19th century.^[3][2] From 1701 the verb also meant to pour a liquid from one vessel into another, a sense now dated.^[2][4] Balzac used it figuratively in 1833 for passing qualities or gifts on to others, and Chateaubriand in 1848 of a dialect whose flavour cannot be carried into another language.^[2][9] The participle transfusé became a noun in 1882 for the receiver of blood, opposed to the donneur.^[2][3][7]

Timeline

• 1668 – First record of transfuser, in the Journal des savants.^[2][6]
• 1701 – Pomey records the sense “to pour from one vessel into another”.^[2]
• 1833 – Balzac uses it figuratively.^[2][9]
• 1882 – Un transfusé “a transfusion recipient” is recorded.^[2][7]

Meanings

Verb

1. (medicine) To transfuse blood from one person into another;^[7][2][4] (familiar) to give a blood transfusion to: Les médecins ont dû transfuser le blessé.^[7][2][4]
2. (dated) To pour a liquid from one vessel into another; decant.^[2][4][8]
3. (figurative) To pass on or communicate qualities or gifts to another.^[2][4]

Word family

• transfusé
• transfuseur
• transfuseuse
• polytransfusé

Related words

• transfusion
• Latin transfundō

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
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. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 13/2, 204a
6. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF