Etymologically
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accepter

Etymology and origin of the French word accepter

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1250
Borrowed from
Latin accepto
Ultimate origin
Latin (capiō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin capio
Latin praecipio
Latin accipio
Latin acceptor
Latin accepto
English accept
French accepter
Latin acceptrix
Latin recipio
French recevoir
Latin capax

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ak.sɛp.te/[1]

Forms

accepter[1] Anglo-Norman accepter, also spelled acceptier and accepteer.[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin acceptō (“to receive; to accept”), a frequentative of accipiō (“to receive, welcome”).[3][4][5][6] Rey explains it as formed on the participle acceptus, and the base verb as a compound of ad- and capiō (“to take”), the verb behind captif and capter.[7] French took over the latest Latin sense, “to consent to”, which the word had acquired in Late Latin.[7] Wiktionary calls it a doublet of acheter.[1]

Cognate with Old Occitan acceptar, Spanish aceptar and Italian accettare.[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded about 1250, in religious use, Bloch and Wartburg date it to 1317, a legal use.[7][5][4] Littré's earliest quotation, from the 14th-century poem on Du Guesclin, has it of agreeing to a peace.[8]

Semantic evolution

From religion and law, where one accepted a gift, a legacy or a summons, the verb passed into general use for taking willingly what is offered.[7][2] Accepter de “to agree to (do)” is found in Bersuire before 1362.[7] In commerce, accepting a bill of exchange, that is promising to pay it at its due date, is recorded from 1679, with Savary des Bruslons, Quemada found a letter of Poussin using it in 1644.[7][9] Phrases such as accepter le combat and accepter un défi (1671) and Corneille's j'en accepte l'augure (1640) show how widely the verb had spread.[7]

In modern French it also means to put up with what one cannot change, and to admit a person into a group.[10][11]

Timeline

  • c. 1250 – First record, in religious use.[7][5]
  • 1317 – A legal use.[4][7]
  • Before 1362 – Accepter de “to agree to”, in Bersuire.[7]
  • 1640 – Corneille's j'en accepte l'augure.[7]
  • 1644 – Accepting a bill of exchange, in a letter of Poussin.[9]
  • 1671 – Accepter le combat, accepter un défi.[7]
  • 1679 – The commercial sense is recorded by Savary des Bruslons.[7][9]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To take or receive willingly what is offered: accepter un cadeau, une invitation.[11][12]
  2. To agree to, consent to: accepter le combat, accepter de partir.[11][8]
  3. (law, commerce) To accept a legacy or a bill of exchange, promising to pay it when due.[11][10]
  4. To put up with, tolerate: to let happen what one could prevent, or to bear a hardship.[10][11]
  5. To admit someone into a group or a company.[11][12]

Word family

  • acceptable
  • inacceptable
  • acceptation
  • accepteur

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 24, 71a
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  10. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  11. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  12. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Accepter.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/accepter. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·