Etymologically
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réparer

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁe.pa.ʁe/[1]

Forms

réparer[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin reparō (“to prepare again; to restore, renew”), from re- with iterative force and parō (“to prepare”) (see parer).[2][3][4][5][6] Réparation (1310) and réparateur (1350) were borrowed from the Late Latin derivatives reparātiō and reparātor.[7][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Eneas (about 1130–1160) has reparer le fosset “to repair the ditch”, and Wace has fossé reparé;[2][3][5] Benoît de Sainte-Maure writes of repairing walls about 1175.[2][3][5]

Semantic evolution

Chrétien de Troyes uses it in the Chevalier de la charrette (1176–1181) for restoring a person to health and strength, and Pomey has réparer ses forces in 1671.[2][3] The Roman de la Rose (1269–1278) speaks of restoring one's lineage, and about 1350 Gilles li Muisis of Christ's restoring mankind to its first dignity.[2][3]

The sense “to make up for (a wrong or its consequences)” is found in 1346, and Robert Estienne records réparer un dommage and réparer une injure in 1538.[2][3] Réparer son honneur is in Nicot (1606), and about 1690 réparer l'honneur of a seduced woman meant to marry her.[2][3]

Timeline

  • c. 1130–1160 – Reparer le fosset, in Eneas.[2][5]
  • c. 1175 – Repairing walls, in Benoît de Sainte-Maure.[2]
  • 1176–1181 – Restoring a person, in Chrétien de Troyes.[2]
  • 1310 – The noun réparation.[7]
  • 1346 – “To make up for (a wrong)”.[2]
  • 1538 – Réparer un dommage, in Robert Estienne.[2]
  • 1654 – Réparer une brèche.[2]
  • 1671 – Réparer ses forces, in Pomey.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To repair, mend, fix: réparer une montre, réparer une voiture.[8][9]
  2. To make good (damage): réparer une brèche, réparer un accroc.[8]
  3. To make up for, redress (a wrong, a mistake): réparer un oubli.[8][5]
  4. Réparer ses forces: to recover one's strength.[8][9]

Word family

  • réparable
  • irréparable
  • réparage
  • réparation
  • réparateur
  • parer
  • Latin reparō

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 10, 259b
  7. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)