sceptique

Forms

sceptique m or f by sense (plural sceptiques)^[1] Montaigne wrote skeptique.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek σκεπτικός (skeptikós, “observant, reflective”), used as a noun for the sceptic philosophers.^[3][4][5][6] The Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and Wiktionary also name New Latin scepticus as a possible intermediary.^[2][7][1] The Greek adjective is from Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “to look carefully, consider”), the sceptics being those who made a profession of observing without affirming anything.^[4][5][8] Rey traces the verb to an Indo-European root meaning “to look”, also behind -scope.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1546, as a plural noun for the followers of Pyrrho's doctrine, in Focart's Advertissement sur l'astrologie;^[3] the Grand Robert gives Rabelais's Tiers livre and the GLLF M. de Saint-Gelais for the same year.^[2][9] Bonivard wrote in the 16th century of those who held that anything could be argued and were called sceptiques.^[8]

Semantic evolution

A term of philosophy at first, it became an adjective for this philosophy of doubt in 1611 (Cotgrave).^[3][4] At the end of the 17th century, under the influence of Cartesianism, it took the wider sense “who doubts whatever is not evident” (1694, as an adjective), which spread in the mid-18th century, with Diderot (1746 as a noun, 1769 as an adjective).^[4][3] The everyday sense of someone incredulous or distrustful about a particular fact or result followed at the end of the 19th century (1879, Verne, and 1883, Renan).^[3][4][9] The derivative scepticisme (1669) followed the same path.^[4][5]

Timeline

• 1546 – First record, as a noun for the Pyrrhonists.^[3][4][5]
• 1611 – Cotgrave records the adjective.^[3][9]
• 1669 – First record of scepticisme.^[5][4]
• 1694 – The adjective means “doubting what is not evident”.^[4]
• 1746 – Diderot uses the noun for someone who doubts what is not proved.^[3][9]
• 1879 – Verne uses it of distrust towards a particular fact.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (philosophy) A follower of the ancient doctrine of doubt, a pyrrhonien.^[7][3]
2. A person who practises critical examination and scientific doubt.^[7]
3. A person who is incredulous or doubtful about a question or a result, a sceptic.^[7][3]

Adjective

1. (philosophy) Relating to scepticisme.^[9][3]
2. Doubting what is not clearly proved; sceptical, distrustful.^[9][3][1]

Word family

• scepticisme
• sceptiquement
• eurosceptique

Related words

• Ancient Greek σκεπτικός (skeptikós)

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 12, 4b
7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
9. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse