Etymologically
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débattre

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /de.batʁ/[1]

Forms

débattre[1]

Etymology

It is formed from battre with the intensive prefix dé-,[2][3][4][5][6] the verb being inherited from Latin battuō (“to beat”).[5] Littré gives the original sense as “to beat this way and that”, kept only in the reflexive.[7]

Cognate with Old Occitan debatre, Spanish debatir, Portuguese debater and Italian dibattere.[7] English debate is borrowed from the French verb.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Vie de saint Alexis (about 1050) uses it in the sense “to beat hard”.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The sense “to beat hard” lasted a long time, still in 1627 of churning milk.[2][3] The verb parted from battre with the figurative “to argue vigorously”: de neant debatre in Chrétien de Troyes (1172–1175), and transitively in Beaumanoir (1283), who uses it for contesting a will or a jurisdiction.[2][3][7] The reflexive se débattre (Chrétien, about 1175) is closer to battre: first “to torment oneself”, then “to struggle to get free”.[2][3]

The noun débat (13th century) has only the sense “discussion”, and in parliamentary language (1627) it corresponds to English debate.[3] In Canada le cœur me débat “my heart is pounding” keeps the old sense.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 1050 – “To beat hard”, in Saint Alexis.[2]
  • 1172–1175 – Debatre de in Chrétien de Troyes.[2]
  • c. 1175 – Se debatre.[2]
  • 1283 – “To discuss”, in Beaumanoir.[2]
  • 13th century – Débat.[3]
  • 1627 – Débat in parliamentary use.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To discuss, debate: débattre une question, débattre de, sur.[8][1]
  2. To negotiate: prix à débattre.[1][9]
  3. (reflexive) Se débattre: to struggle: se débattre contre la misère.[1][10]
  4. (Canada, intransitive) To beat hard: le cœur me débat.[8]

Word family

  • débat

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 24, 16b
  7. ^ a b c 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. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse