réputation

Forms

réputation f (plural réputations)^[1] Middle French reputacion.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin reputātiō (“reckoning, reflection, consideration”), a word of imperial Latin formed on the supine reputātum of reputō (“to reckon, reflect on”).^[2][3][4][5] Etymonline analyses the verb as re- and putō (“to judge, suppose”).^[6]

Littré compares Old Occitan reputatio, Spanish reputación and Italian riputazione, and notes that it is one of the few French words ending in ⟨-tion⟩ with a purely passive meaning.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Nicole Oresme's translation of Aristotle's Ethics (1370) has en grant reputacion, of the fame of a person or thing for its worth, and also uses the word for a good name from a moral point of view.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Unlike the verb réputer, the noun stayed in common use, for moral honour and for fame earned by merit.^[3] From 1530 (Palsgrave) it also meant the opinion, good or bad, that people have of someone or something.^[5][3] Phrases followed: être en réputation de (before 1650) and avoir quelqu'un en réputation de (1694), both now out of use;^[2][3][5] ne connaître que de réputation (Molière, 1671), connaître de réputation (before 1784, Diderot) and avoir une réputation de (1786, Madame de Staël).^[2][3][5] English took the word from Old French and Latin in the mid-14th century.^[6]

Timeline

• 1370 – Oresme uses reputacion for fame and for good name.^[2][3]
• 1530 – Palsgrave records the sense “opinion people have of someone”.^[5]
• c. 1650 – Être en réputation de is used by Descartes.^[2]
• 1671 – Molière has ne connaître que de réputation.^[2]
• 1786 – Avoir une réputation de appears in a letter of Madame de Staël.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A good name, honour from a moral point of view: ternir sa réputation.^[8][9]
2. fame, being well known for one's worth: un vin de réputation mondiale.^[8][9]
3. The opinion, good or bad, that people have of someone or something; reputation: Ce restaurant a mauvaise réputation. Avoir la réputation de: to be said to be.^[9][5][1]
4. Connaître de réputation: to know only by hearsay.^[9][2]

Related words

• réputer
• réputé
• Latin reputātiō
• English reputation

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 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 f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)