saboteur English · revision 1640

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌsæbəˈtɜː(ɹ)/, /ˌsæbəˈtʊə(ɹ)/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|saboteur]],^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) the agent noun of ''saboter'' “to sabotage”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) which Random House glosses as “to botch”.^(RHWU) It is related to [[sabotage]] and [[sabot]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One who commits sabotage (1912 in Etymonline, after use as a French word from 1909, but 1921 in the OED and Merriam-Webster).^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The meaning has stayed the same since the word was adopted.^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) The French feminine form is ''saboteuse''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1909 – as a French word in English.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1912 – ''saboteur'' (Etymonline).^(Etymonline)

+ * 1921 – the OED and Merriam-Webster's date.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who commits [[sabotage]], especially one who deliberately destroys property to hinder an enemy.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sabotage]]

+ * [[sabot]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}