Etymologically
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capable

Etymology and origin of the French word capable

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1350, Gilles le Muisit (capavle de)
Borrowed from
Latin capabilis
Ultimate origin
Latin (capiō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ka.pabl/[1]

Forms

capable (plural capables)[1] Capavle (about 1350), capable from the 15th century (1488).[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin capābilis (“able to hold, receive”), a Christian Latin word of the 2nd century, from capiō (“to take; to hold, contain”) and the suffix “-abilis” (see -able).[4][2][5][6][7] It replaced Latin capāx (see capacité).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gilles le Muisit (about 1350) has capavle de, “having the power to do something”, of a person.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

From 1470 to the 18th century it also meant “able to contain”, literally and of the soul (capable de la vision de Dieu, 1488): Rabelais has une escuelle bien capable and Pascal capables de Dieu.[4][8][9] Used absolutely it means competent, skilful (1507), and in classical French could suggest presumption (1656).[4][2] Capable de tout is in Furetière (1690).[2]

In Quebec ne pas être capable de means “not to be able to, not to dare”, and pas cap (about 1950) is a familiar dare: “you can't”.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1350 – Capavle de, Gilles le Muisit.[4]
  • 1464 – The derivative incapable.[5]
  • 1470 – “Able to contain”.[4]
  • 1507 – “Competent”.[4]
  • 1690 – Capable de tout, Furetière.[2]
  • c. 1950 – Pas cap.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Capable de: capable of, able to: il est capable de réussir, capable de tout.[9][1]
  2. Competent, able: un ouvrier très capable.[4][3]
  3. (familiar) Pas cap: you wouldn't dare.[2]
  4. (archaic) Able to hold or receive.[9][4]

Word family

  • incapable
  • capablement
  • capacité
  • capter
  • Latin capābilis

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 240a
  8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Capable.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/capable. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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