apologétique

Forms

apologétique (plural apologétiques)^[1] Middle French appologetique.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀπολογητικός (apologētikós, “suited for a defence”),^{[1][3][4][5][6]} from ἀπολογέομαι (apologéomai, “to speak in one's defence”).^[3][7][8] The GLLF and Hatzfeld pass it through Ecclesiastical Latin apologēticus.^[9][2] The noun naming Tertullian's work comes from the Ecclesiastical Latin title apologēticum (“written defence”).^[4][5][8] It belongs with apologie and apologue.^[8][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Hatzfeld cites a 15th-century Dialogue appologetique from Godefroy's supplement, where the adjective means “written in defence”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The adjective first described a text containing a defence of someone or something, and especially a defence of religion.^[8][4] From the 17th century the masculine noun l'Apologétique named Tertullian's defence of the Christians, after the Latin title of that work;^[4][8] Littré notes that Chateaubriand wrongly made it feminine.^[7]

In the first half of the 19th century a feminine noun appeared for the branch of theology that defends the Catholic faith against its opponents.^[8][4] The Académie recorded this noun in 1932.^[10] The English adjective apologetic, recorded in the 1640s, came from the French word.^[11]

Timeline

• 15th century – Appologetique appears in the title Dialogue appologetique.^[2][3]
• 1636 – The masculine noun names Tertullian's Apologeticum.^[4]
• 1640s – English borrows it as apologetic.^[11]
• 1798 – The Académie records the adjective and the noun for Tertullian's work.^[12]
• 1853 – The feminine noun names the theological discipline.^[4]
• 1932 – The Académie records l'apologétique chrétienne.^[10]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Containing or having the character of an apology, a defence or justification: discours apologétique.^[4][9][13]
2. Concerned with the defence of religion.^[4][14]

Noun

1. (feminine) The branch of theology that defends the Christian faith and argues for the credibility of revelation by historical and rational arguments.^[4][13][14]
2. (masculine) L'Apologétique: Tertullian's defence of the Christians.^[4][7]

Related words

• apologie
• apologète
• apologue
• Ancient Greek ἀπολογητικός (apologētikós)

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Hatzfeld, Adolphe; Darmesteter, Arsène; Thomas, Antoine (1890–1900), Dictionnaire général de la langue française du commencement du XVIIe siècle jusqu'à nos jours, Paris: Delagrave
3. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 25, 17a
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
10. ^ a b Académie française (1932–1935), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 8th ed., Paris: Hachette
11. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
12. ^ Académie française (1798), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 5th ed., Paris: Smits
13. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
14. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)