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distinguer

Etymology and origin of the French word distinguer

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1310, Roman de Fauvel
Borrowed from
Latin distinguo
Ultimate origin
Latin (distinguō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin distinguo
French distinguer

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /dis.tɛ̃.ɡe/[1]

Forms

distinguer[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin distinguō (“to separate, divide; to differentiate”), formed from dis- and a verb with a nasal infix related to īnstīgō (“to goad”), whose root meant “to prick”.[2][3][4] The first sense was thus “to separate by marks”.[4] Old French also had distinter in the 13th century (in the Roman de la Rose).[4][5] Cognate with Old Occitan distinguir, Spanish distinguir and Italian distinguere.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Roman de Fauvel (1310) uses it for recognizing someone or something by a distinctive trait.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Oresme, between 1370 and 1382, uses it with a thing as subject, for what allows something to be recognized (ces hemisperes sont distinguez … par le elevacion des poles).[2] From 1580 (Palissy) it meant to perceive clearly with one of the senses, and then with the mind.[2][3] In the 17th century it took the sense “to raise above the common”: Molière's je veux qu'on me distingue (1666), and of things, Bossuet (1670).[2][3] Bloch and Wartburg date the sense “to honour with a mark of distinction” to the 18th century.[6] Balzac uses être distingué par une femme for being chosen as a lover (1832–1834).[7] The participle distingué came to mean eminent, refined.[3]

Timeline

  • 1310 – In the Roman de Fauvel.[2]
  • 1370–1382 – With a thing as subject, in Oresme.[2]
  • 1580 – “To perceive”, in Palissy.[2]
  • 1666 – “To single out”, in Molière's Misanthrope.[2]
  • 1670 – Of things, in Bossuet.[2]
  • 1832 – “To take as a lover”, in Balzac.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (of a trait) To set apart, characterize: le langage distingue l'homme des animaux.[8][9]
  2. To tell apart, differentiate: on ne peut distinguer ces jumeaux l'un de l'autre, distinguer le vrai du faux.[8][10]
  3. To make out with the senses, especially sight or hearing: distinguer une silhouette, un visage.[11][2]
  4. To single out for merit; to honour: je veux qu'on me distingue.[2][10]
  5. Se distinguer: to stand out, distinguish oneself.[1][3]

Word family

  • distingué
  • distinguable

References

  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Distinguer.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/distinguer. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·