capable French · revision 17074

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1350, Gilles le Muisit (capavle de)|origins=la capiō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ka.pabl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''capable''' (plural capables)^(Wiktionary)

+ ''Capavle'' (about 1350), ''capable'' from the 15th century (1488).^(DHLF 1992)^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|capābilis|t=able to hold, receive]], a Christian Latin word of the 2nd century, from [[m|la|capiō|t=to take; to hold, contain]] and the suffix “-abilis” (see [[-able]]).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(FEW|2, 240a) It replaced Latin [[m|la|capāx]] (see [[capacité]]).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Gilles le Muisit (about 1350) has ''capavle de'', “having the power to do something”, of a person.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From 1470 to the 18th century it also meant “able to contain”, literally and of the soul (''capable de la vision de Dieu'', 1488): Rabelais has ''une escuelle bien capable'' and Pascal ''capables de Dieu''.^(TLFi)^(Littré 1873)^(Petit Robert 2007) Used absolutely it means competent, skilful (1507), and in classical French could suggest presumption (1656).^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) ''Capable de tout'' is in Furetière (1690).^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ In Quebec ''ne pas être capable de'' means “not to be able to, not to dare”, and ''pas cap'' (about 1950) is a familiar dare: “you can't”.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1350 – ''Capavle de'', Gilles le Muisit.^(TLFi)

+ * 1464 – The derivative ''incapable''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+ * 1470 – “Able to contain”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1507 – “Competent”.^(TLFi)

+ * 1690 – ''Capable de tout'', Furetière.^(DHLF 1992)

+ * c. 1950 – ''Pas cap''.^(DHLF 1992)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''Capable de'': [[m|en|capable]] of, able to: ''il est capable de réussir'', ''capable de tout''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Competent, able: ''un ouvrier très capable''.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989)

+ # ''(familiar)'' ''Pas cap'': you wouldn't dare.^(DHLF 1992)

+ # ''(archaic)'' Able to hold or receive.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(TLFi)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[incapable]]

+ * [[capablement]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[capacité]]

+ * [[capter]]

+ * [[la|capābilis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}