pasteur

Inherited from Middle French pasteur, from Old French pastur, pastor, an accusative form corresponding originally to nominative pastre (whence modern pâtre), from Latin pastor, pastōrem. Early on was there a tendency towards functional split, the original accusative being influenced by the Latin etymon and used particularly in religious context. This influence also explains the survival of the /s/ (instead of *pâteur). A strict division between inherited form and learned use is hardly possible, however, as the word is continuously attested and would have been spelt pasteur in Middle French in any case. Compare the diminutive pastoureau (also pâtoureau), which is clearly inherited from Old French pastorel.

• IPA^(key): /pas.tœʁ/

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pasteur m (plural pasteurs, feminine pastoresse)

1. shepherd

   Synonyms: berger, pâtre

2. (figurative, Christianity) one who looks after the flock of the faithful
   1. Christ as the Good Shepherd
   2. a priest in his function as a spiritual carer
   3. (Protestantism) pastor, reverend (title of a minister)

• pastorat
• pastoureau

• “pasteur”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

• parûtes, pâtures, purâtes, réputas, rupâtes

From Old French pastur, pastor, borrowed from Latin pastor, pastōrem (“shepherd”).

pasteur m (plural pasteurs)

1. (Jersey, Christianity) pastor