avocat French · revision 16615

+ {{homograph|1|lawyer}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1160, Benoît de Sainte-Maure|origins=la vōx}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /a.vɔ.ka/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''avocat''' ''m'' (plural avocats, feminine avocate)^(Wiktionary)

+ The learned spelling ''advocat'' was usual from the 14th to the 18th century.^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The lawyer is [[bor|la|advocātus|t=one called to assist; legal adviser]], from [[m|la|advocō|t=to call to one's aid]] (see [[avouer]]), from [[m|la|ad-]] and [[m|la|vocō|t=to call]], from [[m|la|vōx|t=voice]].^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)^(FEW|24, 203a) In Latin the word had specialized in law, like “in ius vocare” “to summon to court”, for one who assists a person summoned.^(DHLF 1992) The same Latin word gave by inheritance [[avoué]], its doublet.^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary)^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Benoît de Sainte-Maure (1160) calls a king ''avocaz de sainte Eglise'', a defender of the Church; from the start the word also names a person entitled to assist and represent someone in court.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Beaumanoir (13th century) defines ''avocat'' as those who speak for others.^(Littré 1873) Mockery appears in the 15th century with the farce of ''Maistre Pierre Pathelin'', an ''advocat dessoubz l'orme'', a lawyer without cases.^(DHLF 1992) Until the 19th century the central idea was “representative”, “defender” in criminal law grew in the 19th century.^(DHLF 1992) ''Avocat général'' dates from 1359, and Furetière (1690) distinguishes the ''advocat plaidant'', ''écoutant'' and ''consultant''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ The feminine ''advocate'' (1326), from Christian Latin ''advocata'', named the Virgin as intercessor, ''avocate'' was the wife of a lawyer in 1622 and a woman lawyer in Robida (1883), before women could practise.^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) Figuratively an ''avocat'' is anyone who pleads a cause, as in ''avocat du diable''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1160 – ''Avocaz'', Benoît de Sainte-Maure.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+ * 1326 – ''Advocate'', the Virgin as intercessor.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1359 – ''Avocat général''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 15th century – ''Advocat dessoubz l'orme'', in ''Pathelin''.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * 1883 – ''Avocate'', a woman lawyer, Robida.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|lawyer]], barrister: ''consulter un avocat'', ''avocat d'office'', ''avocat général'', a member of the public prosecutor's office.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' An [[m|en|advocate]], someone who defends a person or cause: ''se faire l'avocat d'une idée'', ''avocat du diable'', devil's advocate.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[avocasser]]

+ * [[avocasserie]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|avocado}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1716 (avocate, 1684)|origins=nah āhuacatl}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /a.vɔ.ka/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''avocat''' ''m'' (plural avocats)^(Wiktionary)

+ ''Aguacate'' (1640), ''avocate'' (1684), ''avocat'' (1716).^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The fruit is [[bor|es|avocado]], earlier “aguacate”, from [[nah|āhuacatl]]; the Spanish word was reshaped by folk etymology after “abogado” “lawyer”, and the French form in turn fell together with “avocat”.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary)^(FEW|20, 57a) The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert call the Spanish word a borrowing from Carib.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Petit Robert 2007) English “avogato” (1697) shows the same reshaping.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The form ''aguacate'' is recorded in 1640, ''avocate'' in 1684 and ''avocat'' in 1716, for the fruit of the avocado tree.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The tree, ''avocatier'', is named in 1771.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1640 – ''Aguacate''.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1684 – ''Avocate''.^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1716 – ''Avocat''.^(Grand Robert 2005)

+ * 1771 – ''Avocatier'', the tree.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|avocado]]: ''avocats à la vinaigrette'', ''huile d'avocat''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[avocatier]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[avoué]]

+ * [[avouer]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}