réceptif

Forms

réceptif (feminine réceptive, masculine plural réceptifs, feminine plural réceptives)^[1]

Etymology

It is a learned derivative, from Latin receptus (“received”), the past participle of recipiō (“to receive”), with the suffix -if.^[2][3][4][1] The TLFi and the DHLF start from its supine rather than the participle;^[2][4][1] Wiktionary compares the adjective Medieval Latin receptīvus.^[2][4][1] It belongs to the family of recevoir, beside réceptacle, récepteur and réception.^[5][4]

After falling out of use in the 17th century, the word was formed again in the early 19th century in the sense of being open to impressions.^[4][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record is the phrase être receptif “to receive” in Arnoul Gréban's Mystère de la Passion (1458); the early sense was simply “that receives”.^[2][3][4]

Semantic evolution

In the early 17th century it was used of a faculty or person receiving scientific knowledge (Champeynac's Physique of 1610 has principe effectif et receptif, “active and receptive principle”), and then went out of use.^[2][4][6] The GLLF finds no record between the early 17th and the early 19th century.^[6]

Maine de Biran revived it (faculté réceptive, 1818) in the sense “able to receive impressions”, which Michelet (1845) already applies to people who are easily impressed or influenced.^[2][4] In medicine it has described, since Larousse's dictionary of 1875, an organism liable to catch an infection.^[4][6] The noun réceptivité was derived from it in 1801.^[4]

Timeline

• 1458 – Arnoul Gréban uses être receptif “to receive”.^[2]
• 1610 – A treatise on physics speaks of a principe effectif et receptif.^[2]
• 1801 – The derivative réceptivité is recorded.^[4]
• 1818 – Maine de Biran writes of a faculté réceptive.^[2][4]
• 1845 – Michelet calls great men of intuition très réceptifs.^[2]
• 1875 – Larousse records the medical sense, of an organism open to infection.^[6][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Readily taking in impressions or suggestions; sensitive, receptive: une élève très réceptive, réceptif à la critique.^[7][2][8]
2. (medicine, biology) Of an organism: liable to contract an infection.^[7][6][8]

Word family

• réceptivité

Related words

• recevoir
• réception
• récepteur
• réceptacle
• Latin recipiō

References

1. ^ a b c d 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
6. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)