témérité

Forms

témérité f (plural témérités)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin temeritās (“blind chance, thoughtlessness, rashness”),^[2][3][4][1] a derivative of the adverb temere (“blindly, at random, rashly”).^[3][5][4][6] téméraire is from the same adverb, through Latin temerārius.^[4]

Compare Old Occitan temeritat, Spanish temeridad and Italian temerità.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

About 1380 a Latin–French glossary renders temeritas by temerités, together with presumpcion and folie, in the sense of rash, thoughtless boldness.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

In Latin the noun also meant blind chance and, in philosophy, the irrational part of the mind.^[4] In French it has kept the sense of reckless boldness: Gerson pairs it with sedition in the 15th century, and Calvin still speaks of la temerité de fortune.^[7] By metonymy it meant a rash act or word from 1624 (Malherbe), a use now hardly found.^[2][4][5]

Timeline

• c. 1380 – First recorded in a Latin–French glossary.^[2][5]
• 15th century – Gerson uses it in an address to Charles VI.^[7]
• 1624 – Malherbe uses it for a rash act or word.^[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. Reckless boldness, temerity, daring without thought or prudence: Il a eu la témérité de contredire le directeur devant tout le monde.^[8][2][7]
2. (dated) A rash act or word.^[2][5]

Related words

• téméraire
• témérairement
• Latin temere

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 13/1, 167a
7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert