concéder

Forms

concéder^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin concēdō (“to leave a place, give way, grant”),^[2][3][4][5] a compound of cum (“with”) and cēdō (“to go, yield”); compare céder.^[4][6][7] Wiktionary takes the French verb through Old French conceder.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the 13th century, in Aimé du Mont-Cassin's Ystoire de li Normant, meaning “to grant a favour”.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

In 1531 Raoul de Presles used it of granting a point to one's opponent in an argument.^[2][4] Littré records it of a government granting a company the right to build and run a railway.^[6] In sport it has meant to give up a goal or a point to the other side since 1937.^[4][8]

Timeline

• 13th century – Aimé du Mont-Cassin uses it of granting a favour.^[2]
• 1531 – Raoul de Presles uses it of granting a point in a discussion.^[2][4]
• 1937 – Concéder un but appears in sports writing, in L'Auto.^[4][8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To grant something to someone as a favour: La commune lui a concédé un terrain.^[9][10][6]
2. To yield a point in a discussion, to admit: Je te concède cet argument.^[9][11][10]
3. (sport) To give up a goal or a point to the opponent: L'équipe a concédé deux buts.^[9][4]

Related words

• céder
• concession
• concessionnaire
• Latin concēdō

References

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