interception

Forms

interception f (plural interceptions)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin interceptiō (“theft, interruption”), first recorded in the second half of the 13th century.^[2][3] The Latin noun is formed on interceptum, the supine of intercipiō (“to steal, take away early, catch on the way”), from inter- (“between”) and capiō (“to take, seize”).^[3][4][5] Bloch and Wartburg and the Grand Robert date it only from the 15th century.^[6][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the 13th-century Introductoire d'astronomie it means the act of intercepting something.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Around 1370 Gui de Chauliac's surgery took over the Latin sense “stopping something in its course”, which the medical texts kept, as in a 1478 passage on drying up a rheumatic flow.^[2][3] Littré also records an ancient bandage of this name, meant to halt the spread of gout and rheumatism.^[7]

From the sense of seizing in passing came specialized uses: in naval warfare (1755, the interception of a fleet), in aviation (1952, monoplace d'interception, then avion or chasseur d'interception) and in sport, dated 1900 by Rey and 1937 by the TLFi.^[2][3][8] It is also used of intercepting messages and conversations meant for someone else.^[2]

The verb intercepter (1528) was formed from the noun, on the model of pairs such as exception and excepter.^[6][3]

Timeline

• 1250–1300 – First recorded, in the Introductoire d'astronomie.^[2][3]
• c. 1370 – Gui de Chauliac uses it for stopping something in its course.^[2][3]
• 1528 – The verb intercepter is formed from it.^[6][3]
• 1755 – D'Argenson uses it of a fleet.^[2][3]
• 1900 – Rey dates the sports sense to this year.^[3]
• 1952 – Monoplace d'interception appears in aviation.^[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. The act of intercepting something before it reaches its destination, or the result: l'interception d'un message.^[9][2][10]
2. The interception of a conversation or message meant for someone else, as in eavesdropping or wiretapping.^[2]
3. (sport) Taking the ball during the opponents' pass.^[9][10][2]
4. (military) The stopping or destruction of an enemy ship, aircraft or missile in motion: avion d'interception, chasseur d'interception.^[2][9][10]
5. A stopping of light, sound or the like: interception des rayons solaires.^[9][2]

Word family

• intercepter
• intercepteur

Related words

• capter
• Latin interceptiō

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 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 j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)