Etymologically
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apparemment

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Pronunciation

  • /a.pa.ʁa.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

apparemment[1] Old French aparement (about 1175) and aparanment;[2][3] Middle French apparentement (1370).[2]

Etymology

It is from French apparent + -ment.[4][1][5][6] The ending ⟨-emment⟩ continues ⟨-ent-ment⟩, formed on the old feminine of the adjective, which then had one form for both genders.[7][8] Apparent, Old French aparant (1155), was formed in French and reinforced by Latin appārēns, the present participle of Latin appāreō (“to appear”).[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

An example of about 1175, aparement, seems to mean “visibly, really”;[2][4] Philippe de Novare uses aparanment in the 13th century.[3][8]

Semantic evolution

In the 16th century it meant “manifestly, evidently”, following apparentement “notably” (1370);[2] Montaigne uses it in this sense.[9] From 1564 it meant “outwardly, judging by appearances”, and, from 1652 “in all likelihood”.[2][4] The old sense lingered into the 17th century, as in La Fontaine's des raisins mûrs apparemment.[10] Apparemment que “probably” is recorded from 1811.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1175 – Aparement “visibly”.[2][4]
  • 13th century – Aparanment in Philippe de Novare.[3]
  • 1370 – The earlier adverb apparentement.[2]
  • 1564 – “Judging by appearances”.[2][4]
  • 1652 – “In all likelihood”.[2]
  • 1694 – The Académie defines it as “with likelihood”.[11]
  • 1811 – Apparemment que.[2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. apparently, in all likelihood: apparemment, elle a changé d'avis.[10][12]
  2. Judging by appearances, outwardly.[3][13]
  3. (dated) Apparemment que: it seems that.[10][14]
  4. (obsolete) Visibly, manifestly.[10][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ 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, 24b
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b 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
  9. ^ Huguet, Edmond (1925–1967), Dictionnaire de la langue française du seizième siècle, 7 vols., Paris: Champion / Didier
  10. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  11. ^ Académie française (1694), Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie françoise, 1st ed., Paris: Coignard
  12. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  13. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  14. ^ 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