Etymologically
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quitter

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ki.te/[1]

Forms

quitter[1]

Etymology

The TLFi derives it from the adjective quitte “free of an obligation”; the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert take it from Medieval Latin quītō (“to discharge, release”), a variant of quiētō, from quiētus (“at rest, quiet”), and Wiktionary allows both.[2][3][4][1] Littré glosses the Latin verb as “to make quiet”, whence “to exempt, give up, leave”, and notes that country people say “quitte-moi tranquille”.[5]

Cognate with Old Occitan quitar, Spanish quitar and Italian quietare.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Roman de Thèbes (about 1150) in the sense “to hold quit, set free”; the Grand Robert also gives the 12th-century senses “to excuse from paying” and “to absolve of sins”.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Quitter quelque chose à quelqu'un meant “to let someone off (a fault, a debt)” in Chrétien de Troyes (1176–1181) and “to give up, cede” about 1175, quitter la place à quelqu'un is in Ronsard (1552).[2] The sense “to leave, abandon” appears in 1266, quitter la place in 1539.[2]

In the 16th century Ronsard uses it for leaving a place (1550), parting from a person (1553), taking off a garment (1553) and giving up one's religion (1563); with a thing as subject it is found in 1604.[2] Ne quittez pas “hold the line” is said on the telephone.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 1150 – “To set free” in the Roman de Thèbes.[2]
  • 1176–1181 – “To let off (a debt, a fault)”, in Chrétien de Troyes.[2]
  • 1266 – “To leave, abandon”.[2]
  • 1539 – Quitter la place.[2]
  • 1550 – “To leave (a place)”, in Ronsard.[2]
  • 1553 – “To part from (someone)” and “to take off (a garment)”.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To leave a place: quitter Paris, quitter la table.[1][4]
  2. To leave, part from a person: il l'a quittée.[1]
  3. To give up an activity or way of life; to take off a garment.[4][2]
  4. Ne quittez pas: hold the line.[4]
  5. (law, obsolete) To release someone from an obligation.[1][4]

Word family

  • quittance
  • acquitter
  • quitte
  • quiet

References

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