reproduire

Forms

reproduire^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French re- + produire.^[2][3][1] The verb produire is from Latin prōdūcō (“to lead forth, bring forth”), conjugated after verbs such as conduire.^[4][1] The Robert and the TLFi date the word to 1539 in Clément Marot,^[3][2] while Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF give 1600, in Olivier de Serres.^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first sense, in Marot's L'Enfer (1539), was to produce again by generation, of natural productions.^[2][6] Littré's 16th-century example is from Olivier de Serres, of a meadow that reproduira par après des foins (“will produce hay again afterwards”).^[7]

Semantic evolution

Reproduire was the first prefixed verb formed on produire.^[6] From producing again it came to mean “to carry out again” (1643, Corneille), then “to repeat, render exactly” (1778, Voltaire) and “to give a faithful equivalent of”, especially in art (1800).^[2][6] In the 19th century it took on the senses “to copy an original” (1823), “to republish something already printed” (1828) and “to make a copy of a work of art” (1842).^[2]

The reflexive se reproduire “to perpetuate itself by generation” is recorded from 1712, and “to happen again” from 1788.^[2][6] The economic sense, making a thing in many copies, appeared after 1850, together with the spread of mass production.^[6][8]

Timeline

• 1539 – Clément Marot uses it for producing again by generation.^[2][3]
• 1600 – Olivier de Serres uses it of a meadow giving hay again.^[4][7]
• 1643 – Corneille's Polyeucte has the figurative sense “to carry out again”.^[2]
• 1712 – Fénelon has se reproduire “to perpetuate itself by generation”.^[2]
• 1778 – Voltaire uses it for “to repeat, render exactly”.^[2][6]
• 1823 – Stendhal uses it for copying an original.^[2]
• 1828 – Sainte-Beuve uses it for republishing what was already printed.^[2]
• After 1850 – The sense “to make many copies of” appears.^[6][8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To reproduce, render faithfully, give the equivalent of: un roman qui reproduit la vie d'un village.^[8][2]
2. To imitate a person's look, gestures or behaviour: reproduire un geste.^[8]
3. To make happen again: reproduire une expérience.^[8]
4. To copy, to make copies of, especially by printing or a mechanical process.^[8][5][2]
5. To republish all or part of a text printed elsewhere.^[7][2]
6. (biology) To produce a new individual of the same species, or to multiply a plant without fertilization.^[2][5]
7. Se reproduire: to reproduce, breed, produce offspring.^[2][1]
8. Se reproduire: to happen again, recur.^[2][7]

Word family

• reproduction
• reproducteur
• reproductible
• reproductif

Related words

• produire
• Latin prōdūcō

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert