indifférent

Forms

indifférent (feminine indifférente, masculine plural indifférents, feminine plural indifférentes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin indifferēns (“not differing, neither good nor bad, unconcerned”).^[2][3][4][5] The Latin word is formed from in- (“not”) and differēns (“differing”), the present participle of differō (“to differ”).^[6][7] Rey notes that Cicero formed it to translate Ancient Greek ἀδιάφορος (adiáphoros, “not different”).^[4] The French word is related to différent and différer.^[4][6]

Bloch and Wartburg date the adjective to 1314 from its derivative indifféremment, which Henri de Mondeville uses in that year.^[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record, in a Romance glossary of the late 13th or early 14th century, has the sense “without difference, without distinction”, which the adverb indifféremment still keeps.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

In the 16th century the adjective was applied, as in Latin, to an action that is in itself neither good nor bad (1529, Bonivard).^[2][4] In the 17th century it lost the idea of a choice between two things: it meant “of no interest or importance” of a thing (1634, Corneille), and, taking up a sense of the Latin word, it was said of a person unmoved by love (1643, Rotrou) and then of anyone who takes no interest in something.^[2][4] From this came the noun use, chiefly in the masculine, as in un bel indifférent (1694).^[4]

Of things it also meant “not tending towards one thing more than another” (1641), whence in science a body on which no force acts.^[4] From 1671 it meant “arousing no interest”, said of persons, and especially “inspiring no love”.^[4][8]

Timeline

• 1290s – The adjective appears in a Romance glossary, meaning “without distinction”.^[2]
• 1314 – The adverb indifféremment is used by Henri de Mondeville.^[2][3]
• 1529 – Bonivard uses it of actions that are neither good nor bad.^[2]
• 1634 – Corneille uses it for “of no importance”.^[2][4]
• 1643 – Rotrou uses it of a person unmoved by love.^[2]
• 1671 – It is said of a person who arouses no interest.^[4][8]
• 1694 – The noun un indifférent is recorded.^[4]
• 1888 – The verb indifférer appears.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of no interest or importance: parler de sujets indifférents.^[8][9]
2. Indifférent à: that does not interest or touch someone; of a person, who inspires no love: cet homme lui est indifférent.^[8][9][10]
3. Not tending towards one thing rather than another, neutral; of an action, neither good nor bad.^[8][10][2]
4. Of a person, unconcerned, insensitive or detached; as a noun, an indifferent person.^[2][9][4]

Word family

• indifféremment
• indifférer

Related words

• indifférence
• différent
• différer
• Latin indifferēns

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 646a
6. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette