respecter

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ʁɛs.pɛk.te/^[1]

Forms

respecter^[1]

Etymology

According to the TLFi it is borrowed from Latin respectō (“to look back; to have in view, take into account”);^[2][1] Wiktionary also calls it a borrowing.^[2][1] The Grand Robert, the GLLF, the Petit Robert, Bloch and Wartburg and Littré derive it instead from respect, with which its senses developed in parallel.^{[3][4][5][6][7]}

Old French had a popular form, respitier, respoitier “to spare; to put off” (about 1135, “Couronnement de Louis”; 1160–1174, Wace), which meant to grant a respite (see répit).^[2][3][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1554, in the papers of Cardinal Granvelle, for “to take into consideration”: respectant l'estat de ce royaulme “having regard to the state of this kingdom”.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

The sense “to honour, show respect to” is in Rivaudeau (1566), qu'on m'honore et respecte.^[2] Baïf (1573) uses it for “not to harm, to preserve”, and Montaigne (about 1590) for “to follow scrupulously”, respectant et craignant sa raison et sa conscience.^[2][7] Respecter une femme, to refrain from taking liberties with her, is in Balzac (1833).^[4][5] In modern use it also means to keep to a deadline or comply with a rule.^[1]

Timeline

• 1554 – “To take into account”, in the papers of Cardinal Granvelle.^[2]
• 1566 – “To honour”, in Rivaudeau.^[2]
• 1573 – “To spare, preserve”, in Baïf.^[2]
• c. 1590 – “To follow scrupulously”, in Montaigne.^[2]
• 1833 – Respecter une femme, in Balzac.^[4]

Meanings

Verb

1. To respect, hold in esteem, honour: respecter ses parents, se faire respecter.^[5][1]
2. To spare, not harm, keep intact: respecter la nature.^[2][5]
3. To comply with, observe (a rule, a law, a custom).^[1][2]
4. To meet (a deadline).^[1]
5. Respecter une femme: to refrain from taking liberties with her.^[5][4]

Word family

• respectable
• respectueux

Related words

• respect
• répit
• irrespect
• Latin respectō

References

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