Post by l***@gmail.comI've been told that the word, Plant. Was derived from the word,
Factory. By Henry Ford as it relates to the introduction of the peanut
plant. Which is well known discovery of a historic black scientist
named George Washington Carver.
I don't think Ford or Carver had anything to do with it (notwithstanding
their achievements in other fields). 'Factory' may be a definition, but
it isn't the etymology.
My guess is that 'plant' in this sense began as 'something planned
[for]', but I can't find firm support for that. OED does have a hint
though:
"plant, n.1." OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2017. Web. 1
September 2017.
[...]
In spite of the apparent implications of quot. 1789 at sense 5a does
not appear to have a model in French; however, perhaps compare French
plan plan n.
[...]
5.
a. The premises, fittings, and equipment of a business or (chiefly N.
Amer.) of an institution; a factory, a place where an industrial
process is carried out. In extended use: the workers employed at a
business, institution, or factory. Frequently with modifying word.
1789 H. L. Piozzi Observ. Journey France I. 133 The ground was
destined to the purposes of extensive commerce, but the appellation
of a plant gave me much disturbance, from my inability to fathom the
meaning.
1838 Civil Engineer & Architect's Jrnl. 1 239/2 There was very
little possibility of transferring these implements (technically
called the Plant) from one contract to another.
[...]
and:
"plan, n." OED Online. Oxford University Press, June 2017. Web. 1
September 2017.
Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French plan.
Etymology: Partly < French plan drawing, sketch, or diagram made by
projection on a horizontal plane showing the layout of a building,
city, area, etc. (1547 in Middle French; 1545 as plant ), drawing
guiding the establishment of a building, or of a work which is to be
realized (1563; 1538 as plant ), set of measures adopted in order to
accomplish something (1627) ( < planter : see plant v.), and partly <
French plan plane surface (1553 in Middle French), use as noun of plan
, adjective (see plane adj.). Compare Italian pianta (a1529), Spanish
planta (1600). Compare plane n.3
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-- Whiskers
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