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insoutenable

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Etymology and origin of the French word insoutenable

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1470 Georges Chastellain, L'Oultré d'amour More words from the 15th century
Ultimate origins
French in-,-ableLatin *sustenio
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French soutenir
Romanian susține
French insoutenable
From the same root
French soutenance ← soutenir

Pronunciation

  • /ɛ̃.sut.nabl/[1]

Forms

insoutenable (plural insoutenables)[1] Middle French insoustenable; the spelling insoutenable is from the 17th century.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French in- + soutenir + -able.[4][5][6][1] Littré and the GLLF analyse it as in- and soutenable.[7][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1470 in Georges Chastellain's L'Oultré d'amour, for something that cannot be borne, such as weariness.[4] The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert date it 1460.[5][6]

Semantic evolution

Besides what cannot be endured, the word came to mean what cannot be upheld: of a contest by 1612 (concurrence insoutenable).[3] Before 1654 Guez de Balzac applied it to an opinion that cannot be defended or justified.[4][2] From 1762 it was said of a person or a manner that is unbearable, a use that has gone out, replaced by insupportable.[3] The word is literary or learned but remains common of abstract things.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1470 – Chastellain uses it for what cannot be borne.[4]
  • 1612 – Said of a contest that cannot be kept up.[3]
  • before 1654 – Guez de Balzac uses it of an indefensible opinion.[4][2]
  • 1762 – Applied to a person or behaviour.[3]
  • 1870 – The Journal officiel uses it for something that cannot be carried on with any hope of success.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. That cannot be upheld or defended, untenable: une hypothèse insoutenable.[6][4][1]
  2. That cannot be borne or endured, unbearable: une chaleur insoutenable.[6][2][1]
  3. (dated) Of a person or manners: intolerable, outrageous.[7][4][3]

Noun

  1. L'insoutenable: what cannot be borne.[6]

References

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

“Insoutenable.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/insoutenable. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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