Etymograph

English

functionary

Functionary comes from French fonctionnaire ‘civil servant, official’, from fonction ‘function’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- ‘to enjoy, to be of use’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰewg-‘to enjoy, to be of use’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰu-né-g-tireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fungōrreconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfungor‘to perform, execute’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfūnctiōas fūnctiōnem‘performance, execution (of a task)’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentfonction‘function’
  7. French, derivedc. 1600–presentfonctionnaire‘civil servant, official’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1987functionary

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰewg-‘to enjoy, to be of use’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰu-né-g-tireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fungōrreconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfungor‘to perform, execute’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfūnctiōas fūnctiōnem‘performance, execution (of a task)’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentfonction‘function’
  7. French, derivedc. 1600–presentfonctionnaire‘civil servant, official’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1987functionary

Earliest quotation: 1987, Antony Jay, Official Secrets (Yes, Prime Minister): “Consciences are for politicians, Bernard! We are humble functionaries…”

Equivalent to function + -ary

Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- ‘to enjoy’

…

Latin fungor ‘to perform’

Latin fūnctiō ‘performance’

Old French fonction

Middle French function

English function

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- ‘to enjoy, to be of use’

refugee, refuge, fugue, perfunctory, 15 more

through Proto-Italic *fungōr

fungible, 3 more

through Latin fungor ‘to perform, execute’

fungi, defunct, 4 more

Today it means

noun A person employed as an official in a bureaucracy (usually corporate or governmental) who holds limited authority and primarily serves to carry out a simple function for which discretion is minimal or not required.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- / functionary

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