Etymologically
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capable

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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