incompétent

Forms

incompétent (feminine incompétente, masculine plural incompétents, feminine plural incompétentes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin incompetens (“unsuitable, improper”), taken as the opposite of compétent.^[2][3][4][1] The Latin adjective is formed from in- (“not”) and the Imperial Latin competens (“suitable, competent”), the present participle of competō (“to meet at the same point, agree”).^[5][4][6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1505 as a legal term, in juges incompetans “judges without jurisdiction”, quoted by Godefroy.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

The word and its noun incompétence appeared in the 16th century, and both have kept a legal value beside their everyday one.^[8][3] The general sense “lacking the knowledge needed to do or judge something” is recorded by Cotgrave in 1611;^[2] the GLLF dates it from Furetière in 1690.^[5] The adjective has been used as a noun, for an incompetent person, since about 1930.^[9][10]

Timeline

• 1505 – First recorded as a legal term.^[2][3]
• 1537 – The noun incompétence is recorded.^[3]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records the general sense.^[2]
• 1690 – Furetière records the sense “lacking the necessary knowledge”.^[5]
• c. 1930 – Used as a noun for an incompetent person.^[9][10]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (law) Not compétent: of a court or judge, lacking jurisdiction over a case; of a party, lacking the capacity to act in a matter.^[9][2][6]
2. Lacking the knowledge or skill needed to judge or decide on something, as in il se dit incompétent en chimie.^[9][2][6]
3. Unable to do what one's job or office requires; incompetent, incapable.^[9][2]

Noun

1. An incompetent person.^[9][2]

Word family

• incompétence

Related words

• compétent
• compétence
• Late Latin incompetens

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 977b
8. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF