abusif

Forms

abusif (feminine abusive, masculine plural abusifs, feminine plural abusives)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin abūsīvus (“improper, misused”), a term of Latin grammar.^[2][3][4][1] The Latin adjective is formed on abūsus (“misuse”), whence French abus.^[3][5] The Late Latin word is found from Caelius Aurelianus, often in grammar, of an improper comparison, and in Medieval Latin it also qualified a power that is abused (11th century).^[2] The French sense of misleading has no Latin model and comes from the verb abuser.^[2]

Cognate with Italian abusivo, Spanish abusivo, Portuguese abusivo, Catalan abusiu and Romanian abuziv.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Anglo-Norman Dictionary dates its first record about 1136–65, meaning “misplaced, wrong, in error”;^[6] Tobler–Lommatzsch quotes it of collusions abusives.^[7] Rey dates the borrowing about 1290, first of the use of power and of laws,^[4] and the TLFi's first record is from Nicole Oresme in 1371, as a term of grammar: Faire une comparaison abusive de choses qui ne sont pas comparables “to make an improper comparison of things that are not comparable”.^[2][5] The adverb abusivement, recorded in 1327, shows that the adjective existed before that date.^[2]

Semantic evolution

In the 16th century the word was used in law of a custom that constitutes an abuse (Carloix: coustume … abusive, pleine de larcin),^[2][8] and it took the sense “deceptive, misleading” (Calvin, 1541),^[2] which Rey dates to 1556;^[4] Budé used it of a person who deceives by means of something (1547).^[2] The dominant sense has remained “which constitutes an abuse”.^[4] The GLLF lists “deceptive” as obsolete, and gives the familiar sense of a person who abuses his or her rights.^[9] The Petit Robert records mère abusive, a mother who keeps her child too dependent on her, and veuve abusive, a widow who exploits her late husband's fame.^[10]

Timeline

• c. 1136–65 – First record in Anglo-Norman, “misplaced, wrong”.^[6]
• 1327 – The adverb abusivement is recorded.^[2]
• 1371 – Oresme uses comparaison abusive as a term of grammar.^[2]
• 1541 – Calvin uses it in the sense “misleading”.^[2][5]
• 1547 – Budé applies it to a person who deceives.^[2]
• 16th century – Carloix uses it of an abusive custom.^[2][5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. That constitutes an abus, excessive or improper: une consommation abusive de sucre.^[10][9][2]
2. Contrary to the rule or the norm;^[10][9] emploi abusif d'un mot, the use of a word in a sense it does not have.^[10][9]
3. (of a person) Who abuses his or her power or rights;^[10][9] mère abusive, a possessive mother, veuve abusive, a widow who exploits her late husband's fame.^[10][9]
4. (obsolete) Deceptive, misleading.^[9][2]

Word family

• abusivement

Related words

• abus
• abuser
• Latin abūsīvus

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
6. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
7. ^ Tobler, Adolf; Lommatzsch, Erhard (1925–2002), Altfranzösisches Wörterbuch, 11 vols., Berlin / Wiesbaden / Stuttgart: Weidmann / Steiner, p. 1:69
8. ^ Godefroy, Frédéric (1881–1902), Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle, 10 vols., Paris: Vieweg / Bouillon
9. ^ 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
10. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert