général French · revision 16415

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1121–1134, Philippe de Thaon|origins=ine-pro *ǵenh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ʒe.ne.ʁal/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''général''' ''m'' (plural généraux, feminine générale)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|generālis|t=belonging to a kind; general]], derived from [[m|la|genus|t=kind, race]] (see [[genre]]).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|4, 97a)^(Wiktionary) The Latin adjective was a philosophical term, “relating to a genus or species”, which, opposed to “speciālis”, came to mean “general”, Roman jurists also used it with names of offices.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) “Genus” belongs to the Indo-European family of [[ine-pro|*ǵenh₁-|t=to beget, be born]] (compare [[engendrer]], [[gens]]).^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The noun, a military commander, is short for “capitaine général” (1507–1508).^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in Philippe de Thaon's ''Bestiaire'' (1121–1134), in the philosophical sense “common to a set of cases or individuals”, as opposed to particular.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Used as a noun in the early 13th century, it gave ''en général'' “from a general point of view” (about 1270), later “usually” (1538).^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi) By extension (about 1190) it meant “concerning all the members of a whole”, then “shared by most”, as in ''assemblée générale'' (1574).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ Joined to names of offices it marks the holder of the widest authority: ''vicaire général'' (1330), ''généraux trésoriers'' (1365), and as a noun, a general of finances (1463).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) The army commander, ''capitaine général'' (1507–1508), became ''général'' at the end of the 16th century (Monluc), and the head of a religious order is a ''général'' from 1611 (Cotgrave).^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) ''Battre la générale'', the drum call to arms, is recorded in 1680, and ''la générale'', short for ''répétition générale'', has named the dress rehearsal of a play since the early 20th century.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1121–1134 – ''General'' in Philippe de Thaon.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1270 – ''En general''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1330 – ''Vicaires generals''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1463 – A general of finances, in a letter of Louis XI.^(TLFi)

+ * 1507–1508 – ''Capitaine general''.^(TLFi)

+ * Late 16th century – ''Général'' “army commander”, in Monluc.^(TLFi)

+ * 1611 – The head of a religious order, in Cotgrave.^(TLFi)

+ * 1680 – ''Battre la générale''.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|general]], applying to a whole class, as opposed to particular: ''une idée générale''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # Common to all or most: ''l'intérêt général'', ''en règle générale'', ''assemblée générale''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Covering the whole of a field: ''culture générale'', ''médecine générale''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ # Highest in rank, with wide authority: ''directeur général'', ''secrétaire général''.^(DHLF 1992)^(TLFi)

+ # ''En général'': generally, usually; in general terms.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A general, an [[m|en|officer]] of the highest rank, ''générale'', a woman general or a general's wife.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The head of a religious [[m|en|order]]: ''le général des Jésuites''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(feminine)'' ''La générale'': the drum call to arms; the dress rehearsal of a play.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[généraliser]]

+ * [[généralisation]]

+ * [[généralité]]

+ * [[généralat]]

+ * [[généralement]]

+ * [[généralissime]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[genre]]

+ * [[la|generālis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}