capitaliser

Forms

capitaliser^[1]

Etymology

It is a derivative from French capital + -iser, the noun in its financial sense.^{[2][3][4][5][6][1]} The noun is from Latin capitālis, from caput (“head”), and has been a term of finance since the 16th century.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record is from Dupont de Nemours, about 1770, in the sense “to convert into capital”.^[2][7][4] Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF date the verb only to 1820 (Laveaux).^[6][8][9]

Semantic evolution

The verb belongs to the vocabulary of economics: “to convert into capital”, then “to estimate the value of a capital from its income” (1863, Littré).^[7][2] From 1831 it is also used intransitively for “to amass money”, literally and figuratively, and transitively for accumulating advantages or knowledge.^[7][2][4] The derivatives capitalisation (1829) and capitalisable (proposed in 1842 by Richard de Radonvilliers) followed.^[7][6][2] Recapitaliser and recapitalisation, of the 1980s, are calques of English, where recapitalize dates from 1904.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 1770 – Dupont de Nemours uses it for “to convert into capital”.^[2]
• 1820 – Laveaux records the verb.^[8][6]
• 1829 – Capitalisation is recorded.^[6][7]
• 1831 – The intransitive use “to amass capital” appears in Bergery.^[2][9]
• 1842 – Richard de Radonvilliers proposes capitalisable.^[2][7]
• 1863 – Littré records the sense “to estimate the value of a capital”.^[2][7]
• 1980s – Recapitaliser appears, after English.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. (finance) To convert into capital, to add (interest) to the capital so that it earns in turn: La banque capitalise les intérêts chaque année.^{[4][10][5][11][2]}
2. (finance) To work out the value of a capital from the income it yields: capitaliser une rente.^{[4][5][12][8]}
3. (figurative) To accumulate (advantages, knowledge, experience) so as to profit by them.^[4][10][8]
4. (intransitive) To amass money, to hoard.^[4][10][5]
5. Capitaliser sur: to capitalize on, take advantage of.^[10][1]
6. (typography) To write in capital letters.^[1]

Word family

• capitalisation
• capitalisable
• recapitaliser

Related words

• capital
• capitaliste
• capitalisme
• Latin capitālis

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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
3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
6. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
10. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
12. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette