conclusif

Forms

conclusif (feminine conclusive, masculine plural conclusifs, feminine plural conclusives)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin conclūsīvus (“conclusive”), a Christian Latin word,^[2] which the Grand Robert, the GLLF and the Académie call Scholastic Latin.^[3][4][5] The Latin adjective is formed on conclūsum, the supine of conclūdō (“to shut up, conclude”), the source of conclure.^[2][4][6]

Cognate with Old Occitan conclusiu, Spanish conclusivo and Italian conclusivo.^[6] The English word conclusive (1610s) was taken from the French adjective.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record is in the chronicle of Georges Chastellain (about 1460), in the phrase tendant a fin conclusive “aiming at a final end”, where it means “that brings to a conclusion”.^[2][8][4]

Semantic evolution

In Middle French it was used in phrases such as fin conclusive and termination conclusive, of what ends or concludes a matter or a speech;^[8][9] the TLFi follows it to 1510 and then finds it again only in the Académie's dictionary of 1798.^[2] That edition defines it as “which concludes, which ends” and calls car a conjonction conclusive;^[10] the later editions give donc as the example.^[5][2]

Its modern use is learned: in logic and rhetoric it qualifies a proposition or passage that states a conclusion, in grammar a conjunction that introduces one, and in music a chord or note that brings a piece to its close.^[2][11] The TLFi labels the word as dated,^[2] and the Académie warns against using it for concluant “convincing”.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 1460 – Georges Chastellain uses fin conclusive in his chronicle.^[2][8]
• c. 1500 – Fin conclusive appears in the poems of Antitus.^[8]
• 1510 – Last Middle French record cited by the TLFi, from Huguet.^[2][9]
• 1798 – The Académie records it again, with car as a conjonction conclusive.^[2][10]
• 1610s – English adopts it as conclusive.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. That states or marks a conclusion, of a statement, passage or argument: un chapitre conclusif.^[11][12][5]
2. (grammar) Introducing a conclusion: conjonction conclusive, said of donc.^[2][5]
3. (music) That brings a piece to its close: accord conclusif, note conclusive.^[2][11]

Related words

• conclure
• conclusion
• concluant
• Latin conclūdō
• English conclusive

Usage notes

The Académie advises against using conclusif where concluant “convincing, decisive” is meant.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d e f Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire du Moyen Français, version 2015 (DMF 2015), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/dmf
9. ^ a b Huguet, Edmond (1925–1967), Dictionnaire de la langue française du seizième siècle, 7 vols., Paris: Champion / Didier
10. ^ a b Académie française (1798), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 5th ed., Paris: Smits
11. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
12. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)