valider

Forms

valider^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Late Latin validō (“to strengthen, restore; to confirm”).^{[2][3][4][5][6]} The Late Latin verb is from validus (“strong, effective”), the source of valide.^[4][5][7] Old Occitan validar is recorded in 1458.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1411, in the customs of Anjou and Maine, as a past participle: lectres (...) vallidées par foi et serment “letters made valid by faith and oath”, a legal sense.^[2][9][10]

Semantic evolution

The verb has kept its legal sense, “to make or declare valid”, said of deeds, contracts and acts;^[2][8] in the 16th century Amyot writes of making contracts valider et confirmer.^[7] From the 19th century it was used of elections, whose validation by the assembly is recorded in 1869.^[8][2] By extension it came to mean “to confirm, to justify”, of a theory or a project,^[2][5] and in everyday use it now means to stamp a ticket or to confirm an entry.^[11]

Its derivatives are validation (1529) and validable (mid-20th century); revalider is recorded in 1465.^[8]

Timeline

• 1411 – Vallidées appears in the customs of Anjou and Maine.^[2][9]
• 1461 – A second record cited by the GLLF.^[4]
• 1465 – Revalider “to make valid again” is recorded.^[8]
• 1529 – The noun validation is recorded.^[8]
• 1869 – Validation is used of elections.^[8]

Meanings

Verb

1. (law) To make or declare valid; to ratify: valider un testament.^[2][10][5]
2. To confirm or approve officially: l'arbitre a refusé de valider le second but.^[5][11]
3. To stamp a ticket so that it is valid for a journey; to composter.^[11]
4. (by extension) To confirm, to justify: une hypothèse validée par l'expérience.^[5][2]

Related words

• valide
• invalider
• validité
• Latin validus

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d e f Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 136a
7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b Dictionnaire du Moyen Français, version 2015 (DMF 2015), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/dmf
10. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
11. ^ a b c Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)