impudence

Forms

impudence f (plural impudences)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin impudentia (“shamelessness, effrontery”),^[2][3][1] a derivative of impudēns (“shameless”),^[4][5][6] the source of impudent.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Bloch and Wartburg date the word to 1511; the TLFi's next record is Robert Estienne's dictionary of 1539, the date the Grand Robert gives.^[2][4][3] The GLLF dates its first sense, insolent boldness, to the beginning of the 16th century.^[5]

Semantic evolution

In classical French it could still mean a lack of modesty or decency, a sense the GLLF dates to Montaigne in 1580.^[5] Its usual sense has been bold, cynical effrontery that shocks, and the quality of what is impudent; since Richelet (1680) the word also names an impudent act or remark, often in the plural.^[2][3][5] Rey describes it, like impudent, as old-fashioned or literary today.^[3]

Timeline

• 1511 – First record, as dated by Bloch and Wartburg.^[2][3]
• 1539 – Robert Estienne's dictionary records it.^[2]
• 1580 – Montaigne uses it for a lack of modesty.^[5][6]
• 1680 – Richelet records it for an impudent act.^[2][3]
• 1694 – The Académie records the sense “impudent act or word”.^[5][7]

Meanings

Noun

1. Bold, cynical effrontery that shocks or outrages; insolence.^[7][2][8]
2. The quality of what is impudent: l'impudence de ses mensonges.^[7][5]
3. An impudent act or remark.^[7][8][6]
4. (classical) A lack of modesty or decency.^[5][6]

Related words

• impudent
• impudemment
• pudeur
• Latin impudentia

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)