obtenir

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɔp.tə.niʁ/^[1]

Forms

obtenir^[1] Optenir (1283), with the usual devoicing of ⟨b⟩ before ⟨t⟩, obtenir from about 1355 (Bersuire).^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin obtineō (“to hold firmly; to possess; to maintain, keep”), from ob- and teneō (“to hold”), adapted to the conjugation of tenir.^{[5][2][6][3][7]} The Latin verb took the sense “to obtain” only in the 14th and 15th centuries, according to Bloch and Wartburg.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A charter of 1283 from the Aube has optenir in the sense “to succeed in being granted (what one wants)”; the GLLF gives Beaumanoir about the same time.^[5][4]

Semantic evolution

Bersuire (14th century) and Froissart use it of gaining something by favour or by force, and Commynes (about 1500) of attaining an end, such as a victory.^[8][5] Obtenir qqch. à qqn, “to get something for someone”, is in Bossuet (1669).^[4] In mathematics it meant to arrive at a result by calculation (Académie, 1762), and in chemistry to produce a substance (the Méthode de nomenclature chimique of Lavoisier and others, 1787).^[2][5]

The learned noun obtention (1360, obstencion) was formed on the Latin past participle obtentus to serve as its noun.^[2][6]

Timeline

• 1283 – Optenir “to be granted”.^[5]
• c. 1355 – Obtenir, Bersuire.^[3][4]
• c. 1500 – “To attain”, Commynes.^[5]
• 1762 – To arrive at (a result), Académie.^[2]
• 1787 – To produce (chemistry).^[5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To obtain, get, be granted: obtenir un visa, obtenir qqch. de qqn.^[9][1]
2. To achieve, reach (a result): obtenir de bons résultats, obtenir son diplôme.^[5][9]
3. To produce, arrive at (a substance, a result by calculation).^[5][2]

Word family

• obtention
• obtenteur

Related words

• tenir
• Latin obtineō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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
6. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 7, 292a
8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert