intercéder

Forms

intercéder^[1] Middle French construction interceder a (someone) por.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin intercēdō (“to come between, intervene”).^[2][3][1] The Latin verb is formed from inter- (“between”) and cēdō (“to go”), the source of céder; literally it meant “to go between”.^[3][4][5] In classical Latin it meant both “to oppose, veto” and “to intervene for someone, stand surety”, and in Christian Latin specifically “to pray for someone” (said of Christ or a saint).^[2][3]

The TLFi dates the borrowing to before 1449;^[2][6][7][8] Bloch and Wartburg, the GLLF and the Petit Robert date it to 1345, the GLLF citing Godefroy.^[2][6][7][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

The TLFi's first record, before 1449 in the chronicle of Jean de Stavelot, has the construction interceder a (someone) por, meaning to intervene with someone to obtain a favour.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Of the Latin senses French kept only “to intervene with someone on another's behalf”, often in a religious setting, where it is recorded from 1482.^[3][2] In the 16th century Amyot and Calvin use it for asking pardon for others and for Christ interceding for mankind.^[4]

As a term of Roman history it also names the tribunes' act of vetoing a decree;^[4][2] Littré records this sense.^[4][2] The related nouns intercesseur (1350, replacing entrecessor, 1216) and intercession (1223) were borrowed separately from Latin.^[3]

Timeline

• 1345 – Date given by Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF for the first record.^[6][7]
• before 1449 – Jean de Stavelot's chronicle uses interceder a (someone) por.^[2][3]
• 1482 – First recorded in a religious context.^[2][3]
• 16th century – Amyot and Calvin use it of asking pardon for others.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To intervene or use one's influence on someone's behalf, to plead for someone: intercéder pour quelqu'un, intercéder en faveur de quelqu'un, intercéder auprès de quelqu'un: Sa sœur a intercédé pour lui auprès du directeur.^{[8][9][10][2]}
2. (religion) Of the Virgin or the saints: to pray to God on behalf of people.^[11][2]
3. (Roman history) Of the tribunes: to veto a decree.^[2][4]

Related words

• intercesseur
• intercession
• céder
• Latin intercēdō

Usage notes

The verb is intransitive and takes avoir.^[4] The ⟨é⟩ of the stem becomes ⟨è⟩ before a mute syllable (j'intercède); since the 1990 spelling reform the future and conditional may also be written j'intercèderai, j'intercèderais.^[4][11]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
11. ^ a b Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale