cathartique

Forms

cathartique (plural cathartiques)^[1] First written catartique.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek καθαρτικός (kathartikós, “purifying, purgative”),^[3][2][4][5] perhaps through catharticus.^[1] The Greek adjective was used of music by Aristotle and, in medicine, by Hippocrates;^[3][2] it is formed from καθαρτής (kathartḗs, “purifier”), of the family of καθαίρω (kathaírō, “to cleanse, purify”),^[2][6] from καθαρός (katharós, “pure, clean”).^[6][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Joubert's annotations to the Chirurgie of Guy de Chauliac (1598) use it as a noun, for a remedy that purges the body.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

The adjective followed in 1614, when Brantôme wrote of une fièvre catartique.^[3][2] The word kept its medical sense, as an adjective and as a noun for a purgative stronger than a laxative but milder than a drastic.^[2][3][6]

After catharsis had come into use, cathartique was taken up in philosophy, psychoanalysis and poetics, for what brings about a catharsis (1905, Claparède);^[2][7] the TLFi's first record of this sense is in Ricœur (1949).^[3] By extension it describes anything that has a purifying, liberating effect.^[3][8]

Timeline

• 1598 – First recorded, as a noun, in Joubert's annotations to Guy de Chauliac.^[3]
• 1614 – Brantôme uses it as an adjective.^[3][2]
• 1690 – Furetière records it as a pharmacy term.^[9]
• 1905 – Claparède uses it in psychology.^[2][7]
• 1949 – Ricœur writes of a cure cathartique.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (medicine) Purgative, acting as a strong purge.^[8][3]
2. That purifies, freeing from what is felt as impure; purificatoire.^[8][3]
3. (psychoanalysis) Relating to catharsis: méthode cathartique.^[8][3][9]

Noun

1. (medicine) A purgative stronger than a laxatif but milder than a drastique.^[3][6][9]

Related words

• catharsis
• cathare
• Ancient Greek καθαρός (katharós)
• English cathartic

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 c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse