Etymologically
Log in

rationalité

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the French word rationalité

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1200s late 13th century, Ramon Llull, Doctrine d'enfant More words from the 12th century
Ultimate origin
Latin rationālis

Forms

rationalité f (plural rationalités)[1] Old French racionalité (late 13th century).[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French rationnel + -ité,[2][1][4] a learned derivative made on the Latin form of the adjective, Latin rationālis (“rational”).[3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as racionalité at the end of the 13th century, in the French Doctrine d'enfant of Ramon Llull, meaning “rational activity”.[2][3][4]

Semantic evolution

The medieval word had no continuity; it was formed again in the 19th century in philosophy for “the character of what is rational”, recorded by Boiste in 1834 and by the Académie in 1836.[3][2][6] Littré in 1869 adds a mathematical sense, the quality of rational quantities.[2][7] In modern use it is also said of the reasonable, well-founded character of a decision or a policy.[8]

Timeline

  • late 13th century – Racionalité “rational activity” in Ramon Llull's Doctrine d'enfant.[2]
  • 1834 – Boiste records it in philosophy.[2][8]
  • 1836 – The Académie records it in its supplement.[4][6]
  • 1869 – Littré records the mathematical sense.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The character of what is rationnel, logical or reasonable: la rationalité d'un choix.[2][8][4]
  2. (philosophy) The character of belonging to reason; rationality as what sets humans apart from other animals.[2][7]
  3. (mathematics) The quality of rational quantities.[7][2]

References

  1. ^ a b 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 c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Rationalité.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/rationalit%C3%A9. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·