Etymologically
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respecter

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 13:44. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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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
  • 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