Etymologically
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impossible

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɛ̃.pɔ.sibl/[1]

Forms

impossible (plural impossibles)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin impossibilis (“that cannot be or be done, (Late Latin) unable”), formed with the negative prefix in- on possibilis (“possible”) (compare possible), from possum (“to be able”).[2][3][4][5][6] Wiktionary analyses it within French as “im-” and “possible”.[1]

Cognate with Old Occitan impossible, Spanish imposible, Portuguese impossível and Italian impossibile.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Guillaume le Clerc's Besant de Dieu (about 1227) chose impossible is a thing that cannot be or be done.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Froissart (late 14th century) uses it hyperbolically for “very difficult”: lieu impossible pour assiéger.[2] Il est impossible que is found in Amyot (mid-16th century), and impossible! as an exclamation in 1798.[5][2] The noun l'impossible is in Marot (1553); Montaigne writes of la difference entre l'impossible et l'inusité.[2][7]

Later senses are “extravagant” (Beaumarchais, 1784), “unreal, fantastic” (Gautier, 1843), “with no way out” (situation impossible, 1862) and, of a person, “unbearable” (Renan, 1857).[2][8] Impossible n'est pas français is a proverb.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 1227 – Chose impossible, Besant de Dieu.[2]
  • Late 14th century – “Very difficult”, Froissart.[2]
  • 1553 – L'impossible, Marot.[2]
  • 1784 – “Extravagant”, Beaumarchais.[2]
  • 1798 – Impossible![2]
  • 1857 – Of a person, “unbearable”, Renan.[2][8]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. impossible: that cannot be, happen or be done: c'est impossible, impossible à dire, il est impossible que.[9][1]
  2. Very difficult; absurd, extravagant: un nom impossible, à des heures impossibles.[9][2]
  3. (of a person) unbearable: un enfant impossible.[1][2]

Noun

  1. L'impossible: the impossible: faire l'impossible, to do one's utmost.[1][7]

Word family

  • impossiblement
  • impossibilité

Usage notes

Impossible n'est pas français (“there is no such word as impossible”) and à cœur vaillant rien d'impossible are proverbs.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 600a
  7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert