persuader

Forms

persuader^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin persuādeō (“to induce, to convince”), first recorded in a translation by Nicole Oresme (1370–1372).^[2][3][4] The Latin verb is formed from the intensive prefix per- and suādeō (“to advise”);^[2][5][6] Rey places this verb in the family of suāvis (“sweet”).^[3] The nouns persuasion (1315) and persuasif (1376) were borrowed separately from the Latin derivatives persuāsiō and persuāsīvus.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Oresme's Ethics (1370–1372) it is used both without an object, “to lead people to believe or want something”, and with a personal object, “to urge, to convince someone”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The verb kept the Latin sense, but its constructions changed.^[3] Persuader quelque chose à quelqu'un “to make someone accept something” (about 1460, Chastellain) has almost gone, while persuader quelqu'un de quelque chose (1546) became the usual pattern.^[3][2] The reflexive se persuader “to imagine, to convince oneself” is recorded by Estienne in 1546;^[2][3] se persuader with a bare infinitive (1559, Amyot) has dropped out of use, but se persuader que remains.^[3]

Timeline

• 1370–1372 – Oresme uses it in his translation of the Ethics.^[2]
• c. 1460 – Chastellain uses persuader quelque chose à quelqu'un.^[2][3]
• 1546 – Persuader quelqu'un de appears in a Geneva Bible, and Estienne records se persuader.^[2][3]
• 1559 – Amyot uses se persuader with an infinitive.^[2][6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To persuade, to convince (someone of something), by reasoning or by appeal to feeling: il a persuadé son frère de rester.^[2][7]
2. Se persuader: to convince oneself, to come to believe: elle s'est persuadée qu'il mentait.^[6][2]
3. Être persuadé: to be convinced or certain.^[7]

Related words

• persuasion
• persuasif
• dissuader
• Latin persuādeō

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert