Etymologically
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inquiéter

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɛ̃.kje.te/[1]

Forms

inquiéter[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin inquiētō (“to disturb, trouble”), a verb of the Imperial period, from inquiētus (“restless”) (whence inquiet), from in- (“not”) and quiētus (“at rest”).[2][3][4][5] Wiktionary dates the Old French “inquieter” to the 12th century.[1]

Cognate with Old Occitan inquietar, Spanish inquietar and Italian inquietare.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Old French Livre des Rois (about 1170) Samuel asks Saul purquei m'as inquieted e traveilled, “why have you disturbed and troubled me”, translating the Vulgate's quare inquietasti me: to disturb someone's rest.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

In law it meant to disturb someone in the possession of a property (1479); in Cotgrave (1611) to harass, as an enemy does.[2][4] The modern sense, to make someone anxious, is in Corneille's Théodore (1645).[2][7] S'inquiéter “to worry” followed; in classical French s'inquiéter sur meant to inquire about (Sévigné, 1677).[2][1] In sports, inquiéter an opponent is to threaten them; the slangy t'inquiète means “don't worry”.[7][1]

Timeline

  • c. 1170 – Inquieted, Livre des Rois.[2]
  • 1479 – Disturbing a possession, in law.[2]
  • 1611 – “To harass”, Cotgrave.[2]
  • 1645 – “To make anxious”, Corneille.[2]
  • 1677 – S'inquiéter sur, Madame de Sévigné.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To worry, make anxious: son silence m'inquiète.[7][1]
  2. S'inquiéter: to worry, be anxious: ne t'inquiète pas, s'inquiéter de, to concern oneself with.[1][7]
  3. To harass, trouble (by attacks or legal action): la police ne l'a plus inquiété.[7][6]
  4. (sports) To threaten (an opponent).[7]
  5. (literary) To disturb the peace or rest of.[7][4]

Word family

  • inquiétant
  • inquiet
  • inquiétude
  • t'inquiète
  • quiétude
  • Latin inquiētō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 705b
  6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert