Etymologically
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commettre

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 14:46. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɔ.mɛtʁ/[1]

Forms

commettre[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin committō (“to put together; to entrust; to perpetrate”), formed from com- (“with”) and mittō (“to send”), the source of mettre.[2][3][4] Its French uses follow the main senses of the Latin verb, “to bring together”, “to entrust” and “to carry out, be guilty of”.[2][5] Cognate with Old Occitan cometre, Spanish cometer and Italian commettere.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

After an isolated record of about 1216 in the sense “to put up for sale”, the Livre de jostice (about 1260) uses it in law, for a case entrusted to a judge.[2][4][6]

Semantic evolution

From the end of the 13th century, starting in Picardy, it meant to put someone in charge of something, a sense that survives in law (commettre un rapporteur).[2][4] “To entrust something to someone” (1310–1314) was mainly classical: Corneille writes Reprenez le pouvoir que vous m'avez commis.[2][4] From the 14th century it has commonly meant to carry out, be guilty of: Oresme has commet et fait adultere about 1370.[2][6] The sense “to expose someone, compromise them”, from the end of the 16th century, gave way to compromettre.[2][7] Rope-makers use it for twisting strands into a rope.[6][7] Its participle gave commis, a clerk (1320; a shop assistant from 1675).[5]

Timeline

  • c. 1216 – “To put up for sale”.[2]
  • c. 1260 – Legal use, in the Livre de jostice.[4]
  • Late 13th century – “To put in charge”.[2]
  • c. 1370 – “To commit (adultery)”, in Oresme.[2]
  • Late 16th century – “To expose, compromise”.[2]
  • 1752 – Commettage, the twisting of a rope.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To commit a blameworthy act: commettre une erreur, une faute, un crime.[8][9]
  2. (familiar, ironic) To be the author of: elle a commis un mauvais roman.[9][8]
  3. (law) To appoint someone to a task: commettre un rapporteur.[8][4]
  4. (literary) To entrust: le pouvoir que vous m'avez commis.[4]
  5. (literary) Se commettre avec quelqu'un: to compromise oneself by keeping bad company.[7][8]
  6. (nautical, technology) To twist strands together to make a rope.[7][6]

Word family

  • commis
  • commettant
  • commettage

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c d e Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c d e 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
  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 Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)