réussir

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ʁe.y.siʁ/^[1]

Forms

réussir^[1] First written reuscir (about 1550), then réussir (about 1570); the Académie wrote reüssir in 1694 and réussir from 1718.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian riuscire (“to come out again; to turn out; to succeed”), formed from ri- and uscire (“to go out”), from Latin exeō (“to go out”), which also gave Old French issir and issue.^{[3][2][4][5][6][7]} Wiktionary takes it instead as a back-formation from réussite, from riuscita.^[1] It was one of the Italianisms of the 16th century that Henri Estienne criticised, Pasquier noted that it had been borrowed from Italian, “but time has favoured” it.^[4][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in 1531 in the state papers of Cardinal Granvelle, is réussir de “to result from”.^[3][5]

Semantic evolution

As in Italian, it first meant “to turn out, have an outcome”, good or bad (réussir à, 1537, tout est reussy à bien, 1579), a neutral sense alive until the 17th century: Bossuet writes tout a réussi contre nos pensées.^[3][2][5] The modern sense “to turn out well” appears in 1540 with things and soon with people.^[3][2] In the 17th century it came to be said of a person who succeeds (1624), with à and an infinitive (1627), and of plants that thrive (1680).^[3] The transitive use réussir quelque chose is recorded by Boiste only in 1834 but has become usual; ironic c'est réussi! recalls the old neutral sense.^[2] German borrowed the word as German reüssieren.^[1]

Timeline

• 1531 – Réussir de “to result from”.^[3]
• 1537 – Réussir à “to turn out”, Guillaume du Bellay.^[3]
• 1540 – “To turn out well”.^[3]
• 1583 – Réussite, from Italian riuscita.^[2]
• 1624 – Of a person, “to succeed”.^[3]
• 1627 – Réussir à + infinitive, Sorel.^[3]
• 1680 – Of a plant, “to thrive”, Richelet.^[3]
• 1834 – Transitive réussir qqch., Boiste.^[3][2]

Meanings

Verb

1. Of a thing: to succeed, turn out well: l'opération a réussi.^[8][9]
2. Of a person: to succeed, be successful: réussir dans la vie, réussir à un examen.^[8][10]
3. Réussir à + infinitive: to manage to: il a réussi à ouvrir la porte.^[1][3]
4. Réussir à quelqu'un: to do someone good, work out for them: tout lui réussit.^[8][9]
5. (transitive) To carry off, do well; to pass (an exam): réussir un plat, réussir son bac.^[1][2]
6. Of a plant: to thrive.^[3][11]

Word family

• réussi
• non-réussite

Related words

• réussite
• issue
• Italian riuscire

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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 297a
8. ^ a b c 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)
10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse