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utiliser

Etymology and origin of the French word utiliser

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1792, Necker
Ultimate origin
French (utile,-iser)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /y.ti.li.ze/[1]

Forms

utiliser[1]

Etymology

It is from French utile + -iser.[2][3][4][5] utile is borrowed from Latin ūtilis (“useful”).[4] Wiktionary also suggests Italian utilizzare as a model.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record is in Necker's Du pouvoir exécutif (1792), which complains of new and barbarous verbs such as influencer and utiliser used in place of nouns.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Philipon de La Madeleine censured it again in 1802, and Littré notes that it seems to date from the Revolution; it spread in the middle of the 19th century, at first in technical writing (chemistry, 1803).[2][6][3] It first meant to put to use something not specially intended for it, to turn to account; the general sense “to use, employ”, competing with employer and se servir de, is recorded in the 20th century (1949).[2][5] The derivatives utilisation (1798) and utilisable (1842) followed.[4]

Timeline

  • 1792 – First record, criticised by Necker.[2]
  • 1798 – Utilisation.[4]
  • 1802 – Censured by Philipon de La Madeleine.[2]
  • 1842 – Utilisable.[4]
  • 1949 – “To employ”.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To use, employ: utiliser un outil, utiliser un procédé.[7][1]
  2. To make use of, turn to account: utiliser les restes, utiliser son temps.[7][6]
  3. To use (a person) for one's ends.[5]

Word family

  • utilisation
  • utilisable
  • inutilisable
  • inutilisé
  • utilisateur
  • utile
  • utilité
  • user
  • English utilise

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  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
Cite this entry

“Utiliser.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/utiliser. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·