brutalité

Forms

brutalité f (plural brutalités)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French brutal + -ité.^[2][3][4][1] The adjective is from Medieval Latin brūtālis (“savage, stupid”), from brūtus (“dull, stupid”).^[1][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1539 in the dictionary of Robert Estienne,^[6][2] of the character of a person who behaves like a beast.^[4][6] Calvin's Institution speaks of sayings that will at least awaken readers from their brutalité, their brutish dullness.^[7]

Semantic evolution

In classical French the word still meant behaviour that brings a man close to the animals, a sense now gone.^[6][7] Nicot (1606) gives it beside brutesse with the Latin socordia “stupidity”.^[8]

From the person it spread to things, a violence felt as hard to bear (1659), and to single acts, une brutalité, des brutalités (1669).^[4] The Académie in 1694 recorded both senses, as well as dire des brutalités “to say harsh, offensive things”.^[9] The sense of something sudden and violent, as a shock or an attack, is the most recent.^[10][3]

Timeline

• 1539 – Robert Estienne records brutalité.^[6][4]
• 1606 – Nicot glosses it with Latin socordia.^[8]
• 1659 – It is first used of a thing rather than a person.^[4]
• 1669 – It names a brutal act.^[4]
• 1694 – The Académie records dire des brutalités.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. Brutality, the character of a brutal person: répondre avec brutalité.^[3][11]
2. A brutal act, ill-treatment, often in the plural: les brutalités des gardiens.^[3][11]
3. The sudden and violent character of something: la brutalité de la chute.^[3][10][11]
4. (dated) A harsh, rude remark: dire des brutalités.^[6][7]

Related words

• brutal
• brute
• brut
• brutaliser
• Latin brūtus

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Nicot, Jean (1606), Thresor de la langue françoyse, tant ancienne que moderne, Paris: David Douceur
9. ^ a b Académie française (1694), Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie françoise, 1st ed., Paris: Coignard
10. ^ a b 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
11. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)