correct French · revision 16071
17 Oct 2026, 22:02 by bogdan “New French entry (TLFi, FEW, DHLF, Bloch–Wartburg…)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1512, Jean Lemaire de Belges|origins=la regō}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /kɔ.ʁɛkt/^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA: /ko.ʁɛkt/^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA: /kɔ.ʁɛk/^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''correct''' (feminine correcte, masculine plural corrects, feminine plural correctes)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is borrowed from [[la|correctus|t=corrected, improved]],^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(FEW|2, 1220a) the past participle of [[la|corrigō|t=to straighten; to set right]] (see [[corriger]]), formed from “com-” and [[m|la|regō|t=to direct, guide]].^(TLFi)^(Etymonline) The Anglo-Norman “correct” is recorded in 1382.^(AND) Littré notes that Chifflet (17th century) already pronounced the “ct”.^(Littré 1873)
+
+ [[en|correct]] comes from Latin “correctus”.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Jean Lemaire de Belges (1512) uses it of a piece of writing that conforms to the established rules;^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) Rabelais has ''Vous parlez à ceste heure correct''.^(Littré 1873)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ Before 1696 La Bruyère applied it to conduct that follows the rules of propriety, and Stendhal (1830) to dress (''tenue correcte'');^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) in the 18th century it meant “faithful, exact” of a drawing (Mlle de Lespinasse) and “in accordance with morals” (Saint-Simon), sometimes with the slightly pejorative tone of ''convenable'' (''un jeune homme correct'', Stendhal, 1836).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)
+
+ In familiar use it also means “acceptable, decent” (''un devoir correct''), and in Quebec, where the ''t'' is silent, it is much more positive, “fine, OK”, partly under English influence.^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992)^(Wiktionary) ''Politiquement correct'' (about 1990) is a calque of American English ''politically correct''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(DHLF 1992) ''Correctement'' dates from 1402 and ''incorrect'' from 1421.^(DHLF 1992)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 1382 – Anglo-Norman ''correct''.^(AND)
+ * 1402 – ''Correctement''.^(DHLF 1992)
+ * 1421 – ''Incorrect''.^(DHLF 1992)
+ * 1512 – ''Correct'' in Lemaire de Belges.^(TLFi)
+ * Before 1696 – Of conduct, in La Bruyère.^(TLFi)
+ * 1830 – Of dress, in Stendhal.^(TLFi)
+ * c. 1990 – ''Politiquement correct''.^(Petit Robert 2007)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Adjective===
+ # [[m|en|correct|alt=Correct]], right: ''une réponse correcte'', ''phrase grammaticalement correcte''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Proper, decent (of behaviour, dress): ''une tenue correcte'', ''soyez correct !''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(GLLF 1989)
+ # Fair, honest: ''correct en affaires''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)
+ # ''(familiar)'' Acceptable, passable: ''un repas correct''.^(Wiktionary)^(GLLF 1989)
+ # ''(Quebec)'' OK, fine: ''c'est correct''.^(Wiktionary)^(DHLF 1992)
+ # ''Politiquement correct'': politically correct.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[correctement]]
+ * [[incorrect]]
+ * [[incorrection]]
+ * [[correctement]]
+ * [[incorrect]]
+ * [[incorrection]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[correctif]]
+ * [[correction]]
+ * [[corriger]]
+ * [[incorrectement]]
+ * [[la|correctus]]
+ * [[en|correct]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}