apogée French · revision 15931
17 Oct 2026, 21:16 by bogdan “New French entry (TLFi, FEW, DHLF, Bloch–Wartburg…)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1557|origins=grc γῆ}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /a.pɔ.ʒe/^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''apogée''' ''m'' (plural apogées)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is borrowed from [[la-new|apogaeum]],^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|25, 16a) from [[grc|ἀπόγειον|tr=apógeion]], the neuter of [[m|grc|ἀπόγειος|tr=apógeios|t=far from the earth]], which in Ptolemy's system named the greatest distance of a planet from the Earth;^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) the Greek word is formed from [[m|grc|ἀπό|tr=apó|t=away from]] and [[m|grc|γῆ|tr=gê|t=earth]].^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)
+
+ Its opposite is [[périgée]], which has no figurative sense.^(DHLF 1992)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ It is a Renaissance term of astronomy, first recorded in 1557 (1562 according to the Petit Robert), for the point of an orbit farthest from the Earth.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ In 1652 Guez de Balzac used it figuratively for the highest point, the peak of glory or power, a sense that has become usual (''à l'apogée de sa gloire'', Sainte-Beuve's Napoleon after Tilsit ''à l'apogée de sa grandeur'').^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(GLLF 1989) In the mid-20th century the astronomical sense was extended to artificial satellites.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) It was also, rarely, an adjective (1690: ''la lune est apogée'').^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1557 – A term of astronomy.^(DHLF 1992)
+ * 1652 – Figurative use in Guez de Balzac.^(DHLF 1992)
+ * 1690 – As an adjective.^(DHLF 1992)
+ * Mid-20th century – Of artificial satellites.^(DHLF 1992)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # ''(astronomy)'' The [[m|en|apogee]]: the point of an orbit farthest from the Earth.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)
+ # The peak, [[m|en|height]], climax: ''à l'apogée de sa carrière''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Larousse)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[périgée]]
+ * [[aphélie]]
+ * [[géo-]]
+ * [[grc|γῆ|tr=gê]]
+ * [[en|apogee]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}