examiner French · revision 17571

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1240|origins=la exāmen}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɛɡ.za.mi.ne/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''examiner'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|exāminō|t=to weigh; to examine]], a derivative of [[m|la|exāmen]], which meant “the tongue of a balance”, hence “weighing, examination”.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Grand Robert 2005) The same Latin noun, in its other sense “swarm”, gave [[essaim]].^(DHLF 1992) Cognate with [[pro|examinar]], [[es|examinar]] and [[it|esaminare]].^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The ''Vie de saint François'' (about 1240) uses it for observing and considering attentively;^(TLFi) the GLLF finds it about 1200 in the Rule of Saint Benedict in the sense “to question”.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 13th century Beaumanoir uses it for questioning witnesses, and Anglo-Norman texts from 1260 for investigating and interrogating.^(Littré 1873)^(AND) Calvin compares faith tested by trouble to gold ''examiné en la fournaise''.^(Littré 1873) Amyot, in the middle of the 16th century, uses it for studying something under every aspect, the main modern sense.^(GLLF 1989) Furetière in 1690 records the sense “to put a candidate through an examination”, and the medical sense, to examine a patient, dates from the early 20th century.^(GLLF 1989) It was also used for “to think, reflect”, a sense now lost in the absolute construction.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – “To question”, in the Rule of Saint Benedict.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * c. 1240 – “To observe attentively”, in the ''Vie de saint François''.^(TLFi)

+ * Mid-16th century – “To study in detail”, in Amyot.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1690 – “To examine a candidate”, in Furetière.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * Early 20th century – The medical sense.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To consider carefully, [[m|en|study|alt=study]]: ''examiner le pour et le contre'', ''examiner une affaire en comité''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # To look at closely, [[m|en|inspect]].^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(medicine)'' To give a medical examination to.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # To [[m|en|examine]] a candidate.^(GLLF 1989)^(Littré 1873)

+ # ''S'examiner'': to examine one's own conscience; to look at each other.^(Littré 1873)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[examen]]

+ * [[examinateur]]

+ * [[essaim]]

+ * [[la|exāmen]]

+ * [[en|examine]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}