incognito

Forms

incognito^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian incognito (“unknown”), recorded in Italian from Dante (1317–1321).^[2][3][4][5] The Italian word is from Latin incognitus (“unknown, not examined”),^[2][3] formed from in- (“not”) and cognitus (“known”), the past participle of cognōscō (“to get to know”),^[6][7] the verb that gave connaître.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1581, in the Négociations du Levant, as an adverb: a Muscovite had lately passed through the town incognito on his way to see the Pope.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The adverb was used first of princes and great persons who travelled without revealing their identity, so as to escape the rules of protocol;^[2][8] the Académie defined it so in 1694, adding that it could be said of anyone who did not wish to be known.^[9] By extension it meant “without the thing being known” (1690, Boursault), a sense now out of use.^[3][7]

From the 18th century (before 1750) l'incognito became a noun for the situation of a person who hides their identity, as in garder l'incognito.^[3][10]

Timeline

• 1317–1321 – Italian incognito “unknown” is recorded in Dante.^[2][3]
• 1581 – First recorded in French, as an adverb.^[2][3][4]
• 1690 – Boursault uses it for “without the thing being known”.^[3][7]
• 1694 – The Académie's dictionary records the adverb.^[9]
• Before 1750 – L'incognito is used as a noun.^[3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Without making oneself known, under a false name or without the marks of one's rank: le ministre est venu incognito.^[10][2][11]
2. (obsolete) Without the thing being known, secretly.^[3][7]

Adjective

1. Unknown, anonymous.^[12][1]

Noun

1. The state of a person who hides their identity, anonymity: garder l'incognito.^[10][11][13]

Related words

• connaître
• inconnu
• Italian incognito
• Latin incognitus

Usage notes

As an adverb incognito is invariable, but as a noun it takes a plural -s.^[11][1] Littré recommended the Italian pronunciation with /ɲ/ and found the pronunciation with a hard /g/ less good.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d 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 j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 848a
6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b Académie française (1694), Le Dictionnaire de l'Académie françoise, 1st ed., Paris: Coignard
10. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
11. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
12. ^ Wiktionnaire (French Wiktionary), fr.wiktionary.org
13. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)