union

Forms

union f (plural unions)^[1] Anglo-Norman also uniun and unium.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin ūniō (“unity, union”), first in religious use.^[3][4][5][1] In Classical Latin ūniō meant “oneness”, the ace at dice, a single large pearl and a kind of onion with a single bulb; the abstract senses “unity” and “union” are those of Late and Church Latin.^[6][7][4] The Latin noun is probably formed from Latin ūnus (“one”).^[4][5][1] Through the popular route the same Latin word gave oignon “onion”.^[4]

Cognate with Occitan unio, Spanish unión and Italian unione.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record, about 1220 in Gui de Cambrai's Barlaam et Josaphat, uses it of the unity of God in three persons: Ne perdi pas Dex s'union “God did not lose his unity”.^[3][8][4]

Semantic evolution

The religious sense “unity” lived on in Old and Middle French only.^[3][4] About 1380 the word took the general sense of joining two or more things into a whole, from which l'union des sexes (1761) and union sexuelle (1908) came, and trait d'union “hyphen” (1754).^[3][4] At the end of the 14th century Eustache Deschamps uses it for concord and affection between people, a sense behind union nationale and union sacrée (both 1914).^[3][4]

From 1636 it named an association of people or groups with a common aim, with the proverb l'union fait la force (1757) and the legal union des créanciers (1807).^[3] Molière uses it for marriage, first as union conjugale (1659) and alone in 1670;^[3][4] union libre “cohabitation” dates from 1854.^[3][4] It also named a union of states (1778), as in les États de l'Union (1801) for the United States, and since 1992 the European Union.^[4] Union ouvrière (1872) was a calque of English trade union, later displaced by syndicat.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 1220 – First recorded, in Gui de Cambrai, for the unity of God.^[3]
• c. 1380 – The sense “joining of things into a whole”.^[3][7]
• Late 14th century – Eustache Deschamps uses it for concord between people.^[3]
• 1636 – Monet records it for an association.^[3]
• 1659 – Molière writes l'union conjugale.^[3]
• 1754 – First record of trait d'union.^[3]
• 1757 – The proverb l'union fait la force.^[3]
• 1807 – Union des créanciers in the Commercial Code.^[3]
• 1854 – Union libre “cohabitation”.^[4]
• 1914 – Union sacrée and union nationale.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. The joining of two or more things into one whole, a union or combination, as in L'union des deux communes a été votée.^[6][8]
2. (theology) Union hypostatique, the union of the divine and human natures in Christ, also union mystique with God.^[6][8]
3. A close relationship between people, especially marriage: union conjugale, union libre (cohabitation), as in Trois enfants sont nés de leur union.^[6][3]
4. Concord, agreement between people or groups, as in Il faut préserver l'union du parti.^[6][3]
5. (law) An association of people, groups or states bound by an agreement or common interests: union douanière, union monétaire, union des créanciers.^[6][3]

Word family

• unionisme
• unioniste

Related words

• unir
• un
• unité
• oignon
• Latin ūniō
• English union

Usage notes

The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert have a second, technical noun union (1532) “large pearl”, taken from Classical Latin unio in the sense “single large pearl”.^[9][6] The proverb l'union fait la force “unity is strength” is recorded from 1757.^[3]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u 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
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert