estimer

Forms

estimer^[1] Early extimer (about 1300).^[2][3] A popular form étimer is rarely attested in the 17th century.^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin aestimō (“to value, appraise”), first as extimer (about 1300).^{[2][4][5][3][6]} Rey says the origin of the Latin verb is not known.^[2]

It replaced the inherited Old French esmer (about 1135), the popular outcome of the same Latin verb, which after the loss of /s/ sounded like aimer and was confused with it, and which disappeared before the 16th century; its noun esme lived on longer in the dialects.^[4][5][2][3] Wiktionary notes that the rare 17th-century form étimer shows the learned verb had entered popular speech.^[1]

Compare Walloon astimer, Occitan estimar, Spanish estimar, Portuguese estimar and Italian stimare.^[7] The English verb esteem (mid-15th century) comes from the Old French verb.^[8] Littré traces English aim to the Old French verb.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded about 1300, in a glossary, meaning “to judge, determine the value of something”.^[4][2] The Anglo-Norman Dictionary has it from about 1270, “to estimate, value”.^[9] Littré quotes a 14th-century charter: Non obstant que la valeur des choses et dons dessus diz ne soit extimée “although the value of the said things and gifts is not appraised”.^[7]

Semantic evolution

Like the Latin verb, it first meant “to determine the value of something”; figuratively (1541, Calvin) it meant “to give something or someone its due importance”, and in the 18th century “to calculate roughly” (1736, of a distance).^[2][10] From the late 13th century it also meant “to hold an opinion about”, first with an infinitive, then (about 1500) with an adjective or a que clause and with a noun (1530), in the sense of tenir pour “to regard as”; reflexive s'estimer with an adjective, “to consider oneself”, is found from 1553.^[2]

About 1500 (Commynes) it took the sense “to think well of someone, to hold in esteem”, and s'estimer “to think well of oneself” is recorded from 1538.^[4][2] The noun estime followed a parallel course and, in the navy (mid-16th century), named the reckoning of a ship's course, whence à l'estime.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 1300 – Extimer “to determine the value of” is recorded.^[4][2]
• Mid-15th century – English borrows it as esteem.^[8]
• c. 1500 – Commynes uses it for “to hold in esteem”.^[4][2]
• 1541 – Calvin uses it for “to give its due importance”.^[2][10]
• 1553 – S'estimer with an adjective, “to consider oneself”.^[2]
• 1736 – It means “to calculate roughly”, of a distance.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To appraise, to determine the price or value of something: faire estimer une bague.^[11][12][7]
2. To estimate, to calculate roughly.^[11][1]
3. To consider, judge or think: estimer que, estimer nécessaire de, j'estime que la somme est trop élevée.^[11][1]
4. To esteem, to think highly of someone or something.^[11][1][7]
5. S'estimer with an adjective: to consider oneself: il peut s'estimer content d'avoir fini.^[2][7]

Word family

• sous-estimer
• estimable
• inestimable
• estimatif
• estime
• mésestimer
• surestimer

Related words

• estimation
• aimer
• Latin aestimō
• English esteem

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f 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
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, 231b
7. ^ a b c d e f Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
10. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
11. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
12. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert