Etymologically
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accepter

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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)