disputer

Forms

disputer^[1] Old French desputer, also deputer.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin disputō (“to examine, discuss, argue”).^[2][5][6] The Latin verb is formed from dis-, which the Grand Robert and the GLLF take as intensive, and putō (“to clean, clear up, reckon, think”); it first meant to settle an account after examination, then to examine a question point by point and to argue.^[5][7][8][9]

Cognate with Occitan desputar, Spanish disputar and Italian disputare.^[4] French putatif goes back to the same Latin verb.^[5][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1170 in the Livre des Rois, meaning “to discuss, debate”: Solomon de tutes arbres parlad e desputad “spoke and discoursed of all trees”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

The sense “to discuss, debate”, the word of the medieval schools, is now literary or archaic.^[5][6] In the 17th century the stress moved to rivalry (Descartes, 1637, disputer de… avec), a sense now dated except in le disputer à “to rival” (Molière, 1670).^[2][5] The usual modern sense, “to fight for the possession of something”, dates from 1609 (Régnier), with se disputer quelque chose from 1667 (Racine) and the sporting use from 1855.^[5][2]

The pronominal se disputer “to quarrel” is recorded from 1680 (Richelet) and is now the commonest use of the verb; transitive disputer quelqu'un “to scold someone” (before 1755, Saint-Simon) is now regional or very familiar.^[2][5][9]

Timeline

• c. 1170 – First recorded in the Livre des Rois, “to debate”.^[2][5]
• 1609 – Régnier uses it for “to fight over”.^[2][5]
• 1637 – Descartes uses disputer de… avec “to vie with”.^[2][5]
• 1667 – Racine writes se disputait la gloire.^[2]
• 1670 – Molière uses le disputer en… à.^[2][5]
• 1680 – Richelet records se disputer “to quarrel”.^[2][5]
• before 1755 – Saint-Simon uses disputer quelqu'un “to scold”.^[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

1. (literary or dated) To debate, argue about a subject: disputer d'une question, des goûts et des couleurs, il ne faut pas disputer.^[9][4]
2. (literary) To vie, compete: le disputer en “to rival in”.^[9][2]
3. To contest, fight for the possession of something: disputer une place à un concurrent, disputer le terrain.^[9][2]
4. To play a match or fight a bout to win it: disputer un match.^[9][1]
5. (dated, regional or familiar) To scold someone.^[9][5]
6. Se disputer: to quarrel.^[9][1]

Word family

• disputailler
• dispute
• disputeur

Related words

• putatif
• Latin disputō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
4. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert