catégorie

Forms

catégorie f (plural catégories)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin catēgoria, a term of logic in Chalcidius (late 3rd–early 4th century).^[2][3][4] The Latin word is from Ancient Greek κατηγορία (katēgoría, “accusation, predication”), which in Aristotle meant a quality attributed to a subject.^[2][3][5] It derives from κατηγορέω (katēgoréō, “to speak against, accuse, to assert”), formed from κατά (katá, “against”) and ἀγορεύω (agoreúō, “to speak in the assembly”), from ἀγορά (agorá, “assembly”).^[3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Rabelais' Cinquiesme Livre (1564), as a term of Aristotelian logic.^[2][7][3]

Semantic evolution

The logical term had a long career in philosophy, notably in Kant's system, where it names one of the basic concepts of the understanding (1801, Charles de Villers).^[2][3] The general sense “class of things or people of the same kind” developed in French and is found in La Fontaine (1668); Furetière (1690) records it as figurative.^[2][7][3] It is now common in such uses as socio-professional categories, sports classes and grades of food products.^[3] The verb catégoriser is recorded in 1838.^[7]

Timeline

• 1564 – Rabelais uses it as a term of Aristotelian logic.^[2]
• 1668 – La Fontaine uses it for a class of persons or things.^[2]
• 1690 – Furetière records the figurative sense.^[2]
• 1801 – Used of Kant's categories by Charles de Villers.^[2][8]
• 1838 – Catégoriser is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. (philosophy) One of the most general classes of being or attributes in Aristotle; in Kant, a basic concept of the understanding.^[9][10]
2. A class in which things of the same nature are placed: catégories grammaticales.^[10][9]
3. A group of people sharing common features: catégories socioprofessionnelles;^[10][3] (sport) a class of competitors: champion toutes catégories.^[10][3]

Word family

• catégoriser

Related words

• catégorique
• agora
• Latin catēgoria

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 496a
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)