utilitaire

Forms

utilitaire (plural utilitaires)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French utilité + -aire, on the model of English utilitarian.^[2][3][4] The English word was coined by the philosopher Jeremy Bentham, as a noun in a letter of 1781 and as an adjective in 1802; in that letter to P. L. Dumont he proposed utilitarien as its French equivalent.^[2][5] The GLLF is more cautious and says that the French word was perhaps modelled on the English one.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in 1830 as a noun, “adherent of utilitarianism”, in the title of a journal of social philosophy, l’Utilitaire.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it qualified the followers of Bentham's doctrine and their principles from 1835, in Gautier's preface to Mademoiselle de Maupin.^[2][5] At the same time it spread to anything aimed at usefulness (1834), and, often pejoratively, to a person who puts usefulness above every other consideration: Gautier mocks the utilitaire who would dig up tulips to plant cabbages, and Hugo writes of a bourgeois utilitaire et positif (1842).^[2][5]

In the sense “practical”, it gave véhicule utilitaire, a vehicle used for work as opposed to a touring car, which Rey dates to 1872 and the GLLF to 1967;^[5][6] the noun un utilitaire now names such a vehicle.^[4][1] In computing un utilitaire is a utility program.^[4] In philosophy the word lost ground to utilitariste.^[2][5]

Timeline

• 1781 – Bentham uses the English noun utilitarian.^[2][5]
• 1830 – L’Utilitaire is the title of a journal of social philosophy.^[2][5]
• 1834 – A translation from the Quarterly Review calls chemistry and geology études utilitaires.^[2]
• 1835 – Gautier uses it as an adjective and as a noun in the preface to Mademoiselle de Maupin.^[2]
• 1842 – Hugo writes bourgeois utilitaire et positif.^[2]
• 1846 – Flaubert uses the noun for a supporter of useful art.^[7]
• 1872 – Véhicule utilitaire is recorded.^[5]
• 1876 – The Larousse records the philosophical sense.^[6]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (philosophy) Utilitarian, relating to or professing utilitarisme.^[2][4][6]
2. Aimed at usefulness, practical: un objet purement utilitaire;^[4][6] véhicule utilitaire, a commercial vehicle such as a van or truck.^[4][6]
3. Concerned only with usefulness and material interests.^[4][2]

Noun

1. (philosophy, dated) An adherent of utilitarianism.^[2][8]
2. A utility vehicle, a van or light truck.^[4][1]
3. (computing) A utility program.^[4]

Word family

• utilitarisme
• utilitariste

Related words

• utilité
• utile
• English utilitarian

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. ^ 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 i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette