exacerber

Forms

exacerber^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin exacerbō (“to embitter, irritate, afflict”), which in Late Latin also meant “to aggravate”.^[2][3] The Latin verb is formed with ex-, an intensive prefix, and acerbus (“harsh, bitter”) (whence acerbe), itself from ācer (“sharp, piercing”).^[3][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded before 1380 in Pierre Bersuire's translation of Livy, meaning to irritate or embitter someone or something.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The pronominal s'exacerber is recorded by Cotgrave in 1611, for “to grow angry”, but the verb stayed very rare before the 19th century.^[2][4][3] Théophile Gautier took it up again in 1868 for making a pain more acute, carrying it to its height; since the end of the 19th century it has been used by analogy of feelings and moral suffering, close to exalter and exaspérer.^[3][4] The noun exacerbation (1503), borrowed from Latin, was likewise rare before the 19th century.^[3]

Timeline

• before 1380 – Bersuire uses it for “to irritate, embitter”.^[2]
• 1503 – The noun exacerbation is recorded.^[3]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records s'exacerber.^[2][4]
• 1868 – Théophile Gautier uses it for making a pain more acute.^[3][4]
• late 19th century – It is used of feelings and moral suffering.^[3]

Meanings

Verb

1. To make a pain or ill more acute, to bring it to its paroxysm: ces piqûres ont exacerbé sa migraine.^[6][7][2]
2. To make a feeling more violent, to exacerbate: exacerber la rancune des vaincus.^[6][2]
3. (pronominal) S'exacerber: to grow more acute or intense.^[2][6]

Word family

• exacerbation

Related words

• acerbe
• aigre
• Latin exacerbō

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)