opération French · revision 16732

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 13th century, Hystore Job|origins=la opus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɔ.pe.ʁa.sjɔ̃/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''opération''' ''f'' (plural opérations)^(Wiktionary)

+ The Académie wrote ''operation'' in 1694 and 1718, ''opération'' from 1740.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|operātiō|t=work; in Christian Latin, action, effect; divine working]], formed on the past participle of [[m|la|operor|t=to work]] (see [[opérer]]), from [[m|la|opus|t=work]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(GLLF 1989)^(FEW|7, 367a)^(Wiktionary) The Christian sense “working of the Holy Spirit” is found in the early 5th century, and the alchemical sense in Medieval Latin before 1235.^(TLFi)

+

+ Compare [[oc|operacio]], [[es|operación]] and [[it|operazione]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Hystore Job'' (late 13th century) has ''sainte operation'', a sacred activity, “work”.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Gilles li Muisis (about 1350) uses it for the action of a power that produces an effect, and Oresme (1370–72) for the working of God, Menot (1508) has ''par l'operation du benoist Sainct Esperit'', whence the ironic ''par l'opération du Saint-Esprit'' “by some mysterious means” (1874).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007) Surgery uses it from 1314 (Henri de Mondeville), mathematics from 1557, and chemistry from 1631.^(TLFi)

+

+ Military ''opérations'' date from Furetière (1701), and financial ones from Voltaire (1770); Necker speaks of ''opérations de banque'' (1784).^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) From 1952 it is followed by a noun to name a planned campaign.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 13th century – ''Sainte operation''.^(TLFi)

+ * 1314 – A surgical operation, Henri de Mondeville.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1350 – The action of a power, Gilles li Muisis.^(TLFi)

+ * 1508 – ''L'operation du Sainct Esperit'', Menot.^(TLFi)

+ * 1557 – In mathematics.^(TLFi)

+ * 1701 – Military operations.^(TLFi)

+ * 1770 – Financial operations, Voltaire.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(medicine)'' An [[m|en|operation]]: ''subir une opération'', ''salle d'opération''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An action or series of actions to obtain a result; the working of a device: ''les opérations de la digestion''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' An operation.^(TLFi)

+ # ''(military)'' An operation, campaign: ''opérations militaires'', ''théâtre d'opérations''.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A financial or commercial transaction: ''opération de bourse''.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # A planned campaign, named by a following noun.^(TLFi)

+ # ''Par l'opération du Saint-Esprit'': by some mysterious means.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[opérationnel]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[opérer]]

+ * [[opérateur]]

+ * [[œuvre]]

+ * [[la|operātiō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}