condescendance

Forms

condescendance f (plural condescendances)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French condescendre + -ance.^[2][3][4][5] The verb is from Late Latin condescendō, of the same meaning, built on dēscendō (“to descend”).^[3][6] Littré compares Spanish condescendencia.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

François de Sales uses it in his Introduction à la vie dévote (1608–1609), in la douceur et condescendance, for the complaisance by which one yields to the feelings and wishes of others.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

At first the word was taken in a good sense, an indulgent complaisance by which one lowers oneself to the level of others.^[5][8] Lamennais used it in 1826 for a guilty complaisance, a sense now archaic that helped to give the word its unfavourable tone.^[2][5] By 1832, in Alphonse Karr, it meant a falsely protective, contemptuous manner, the modern sense, which the verb condescendre took on later.^[2][5]

Timeline

• 1608–1609 – François de Sales writes la douceur et condescendance.^[2]
• 1826 – Lamennais uses it for a guilty complaisance.^[2][5]
• 1832 – Karr uses it for a falsely protective air.^[2][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. (dated) Kindly complaisance by which one comes down to the level of another and yields to their wishes.^[8][9]
2. condescension, a benevolent air of superiority mixed with contempt.^[8][9][1]

Related words

• condescendre
• condescendant
• descendre

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse