évidence

Forms

évidence f (plural évidences)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned borrowing, borrowed from Latin ēvidentia (“clearness, visibility”).^[2][3][1] The Latin noun is derived from ēvidēns (“visible from afar, evident”), formed from ē- and videō (“to see”); both words were used in philosophical language from Cicero on.^[3][4]

Cognate with Old Occitan evidencia, Spanish evidencia and Italian evidenza.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in Henri de Mondeville (1314), is à greigneur evidence du propos, “for greater clearness of the argument”.^[5][3] The TLFi gives 1314 with reservations and a sure record from 1362.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The word names what forces itself on the mind at once.^[3] It became common in phrases: en évidence and mettre en évidence (1580, in Montaigne), “placed so as to be seen at once” and “to bring out clearly”, mostly in abstract use.^[3][6] Figurative phrases about what the mind cannot refuse to accept include c'est l'évidence même, se rendre à l'évidence “to admit what cannot be denied” and nier l'évidence;^[3] à l'évidence and de toute évidence mean “certainly”.^[3] The sense “an obvious thing, a truism” is recorded by Larousse in 1870.^[6]

Timeline

• 1314 – Evidence in Henri de Mondeville.^[5][3]
• 1362 – Second, undisputed record.^[2]
• 1580 – Mettre en évidence in Montaigne.^[3][6]
• 1870 – Larousse records the sense “obvious thing”.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. The quality of what is so clear that it needs no proof, obviousness, certainty: l'évidence des faits;^[4][6] se rendre à l'évidence, nier l'évidence.^[4][6]
2. An obvious thing, a truism: c'est une évidence.^[4][6]
3. En évidence: in plain view, so as to be noticed: Il a laissé la lettre bien en évidence sur le bureau.;^[4][3] mettre en évidence, to bring out, to show clearly.^[4][3]
4. À l'évidence, de toute évidence: clearly, certainly: De toute évidence, la porte était restée ouverte.^[4][3]

Related words

• évident
• évidemment
• voir
• Latin ēvidentia

Usage notes

Évidence is a false friend of English evidence, which is usually preuve in French.^[1]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse