Etymologically
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contenter

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 14:30. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɔ̃.tɑ̃.te/[1]

Forms

contenter[1] First written contemter (1314).[2][3]

Etymology

It is from French content + -er, a verb formed on the adjective.[2][3][4][5] Content is from Latin contentus (“satisfied; content with little”), the past participle of contineō (“to hold together; to restrain”).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A Picard charter of 1314 has contemter “to give satisfaction”.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Froissart (14th century) has s'en contenter “to be satisfied with it”, and Commynes chascun se contenta de luy, everyone was pleased with him.[5][4] Amyot (1559) uses se contenter de in the restrictive modern sense “to make do with, to confine oneself to”.[2][5] In classical French contenter quelqu'un could mean to appease or pay off a creditor or claimant (Malherbe).[4][5]

La Fontaine wrote that he is mad who claims to please tout le monde et son père;[7][8] on ne peut pas contenter tout le monde is proverbial.[7][8]

Timeline

  • 1314 – Contemter, in a Picard charter.[2]
  • 14th century – Mécontenter.[6]
  • 15th century – The noun contentement.[6]
  • 1559 – Se contenter de, in Amyot.[2]
  • 1694 – The Académie records the verb.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To satisfy, please (someone) by giving them what they want: on ne saurait contenter tout le monde.[7][3]
  2. To satisfy (a need or desire): contenter sa curiosité.[7][4]
  3. Se contenter de: to be content with, make do with: se contenter de peu; to confine oneself to.[7][5]
  4. (classical) To appease; to pay off.[4][5]

Word family

  • contentement
  • mécontenter

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 c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e 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 Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)