prudent

Forms

prudent (feminine prudente, masculine plural prudents, feminine plural prudentes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin prūdēns (“foreseeing, knowing beforehand, thoughtful, wise”),^[2][3][4][5] a contracted form of prōvidēns (“foreseeing”), the present participle of prōvideō (“to foresee”).^[2][3][6] The same Latin participle, uncontracted, gave Middle French provident.^[3] Bloch and Wartburg attribute the narrower French sense to the noun prūdentia.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the first third of the 12th century, in Alberic's Alexandre, meaning “wise, discerning”.^[2] Rey, Bloch and Wartburg and the Robert date it from 1090, and the Petit Robert glosses the first sense as “wise, full of experience”.^[3][4][7]

Semantic evolution

The adjective first described a wise, sensible person; from 1455 it also described a thing marked by wisdom (Miélot's prudente circonspection).^[2][3] In the 16th century, alongside prudence, it narrowed to “circumspect, cautious” (1573), the main sense today, and came to describe whatever is inspired by caution.^[3][8][7] In the 20th century one of its commonest settings is driving.^[3] The noun un prudent, a cautious person, is found from about 1660 (Pascal) but is rare except in the plural.^[3][8]

The adverb, first prudentement (1370), was remade as prudemment in 1538, and moved from “wisely” to “cautiously” in 1552.^[3] The English word prudent (late 14th century) comes from Old French and directly from Latin.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 1090 – The first record according to Rey, Bloch and Wartburg and the Robert.^[3][4][10]
• 1100–1133 – Alberic's Alexandre uses it for “wise, discerning”.^[2]
• 1360–1379 – It is recorded in Anglo-Norman for “wise, discerning”.^[11]
• 1370 – The adverb prudentement is recorded.^[3]
• late 14th century – English prudent is first recorded.^[9]
• 1455 – Miélot applies it to a thing.^[2][3]
• 1538 – The adverb prudemment appears.^[3]
• 1573 – The sense “circumspect, cautious” appears (Chesneau).^[8][3][7]
• c. 1660 – It is used as a noun for a cautious person.^[3][8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Showing prudence; cautious, circumspect, careful to foresee and avoid risks.^[7][12][2]
2. In particular, careful about physical dangers, as on the road: Sois prudent en rentrant ce soir.^[7][3]
3. Of a thing: inspired by caution: une réponse prudente.^[12][6]
4. (dated, literary) Wise and experienced, acting with discernment.^[8][7]

Noun

1. A cautious person; rare except in the plural.^[7][3]

Word family

• prudemment

Related words

• prudence
• imprudent
• Latin prūdēns
• English prudent

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 490a
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
11. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
12. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)