practice English · revision 3350

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1392|origins=grc πρακτικός}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpræk.tɪs/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb is [[inh|enm|practisen]], [[bor|frm|practiser]], also pratiser,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000)^(MWU 2024) an alteration, with the common suffix -iser, of practiquer,^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from [[la-med|prācticāre|t=to do, perform]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) from [[la-lat|prācticus|t=practical]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) from [[grc|πρακτικός|tr=praktikós|t=practical]], the source of [[practical]].^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) The noun is from the verb, its spelling ''practice'' following pairs such as [[advice]] and [[advise]], [[device]] and [[devise]].^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986)^(COED 2004)^(Klein 1966) It largely replaced an older noun, [[practic]], which survived alongside it into the 19th century.^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The verb, “to do, act, perform, especially habitually”: 1392,^(Barnhart 1988) or the late 14th century, “to follow a course of action”.^(Etymonline) The noun, “the practical side or application”, especially of medicine, is from the early 15th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the early 15th century the verb meant “to carry on a profession”, especially medicine, and “to do repeatedly so as to acquire skill”.^(Etymonline) The intransitive “to train oneself” and the causative “to drill, train someone” are from the 1590s.^(Etymonline) The noun meant a habit or customary performance from about 1500,^(Etymonline) 1509 in the OED,^(OED 1989) exercise for instruction from the 1520s,^(Etymonline) 1525 in the OED,^(OED 1989) and action as opposed to theory from the 1530s.^(Etymonline) The regular pursuit of a profession is from the 1570s.^(Etymonline) In the 16th and 17th centuries ''practice'' was also used in an evil sense, “a plot, scheme”,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) and a verb sense “to intrigue, plot” is still recorded.^(AHD) The method of procedure in the law courts is ''practice'' from 1623.^(OED 1989) In British spelling the verb is ''practise'' and the noun ''practice''.^(SOED 2002)^(COED 2004)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1392 – verb, to do habitually.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 15th century – noun, practical application; to practise a profession.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1500 – a habit.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1525 – exercise for instruction.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1530s – practice as opposed to theory.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1570s – the pursuit of a profession.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1590s – to drill someone.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1623 – legal procedure.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Repeated exercise in an activity to learn or improve a skill.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A habitual or customary way of doing something.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Actual performance, as opposed to [[theory]]: ''in practice''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # The work of a profession, as of a doctor or lawyer, or the business itself.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(law)'' The procedure of the courts.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To do repeatedly in order to gain or improve a skill.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To do habitually; to make a habit of.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ # To work at a profession: ''to practise medicine''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To observe the teachings of a religion.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[practicer]]

+ * [[malpractice]]

+ * [[mispractice]]

+ * [[nonpractice]]

+ * [[overpractice]]

+ * [[prepractice]]

+ * [[outpractice]]

+ * [[unpracticed]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[practic]]

+ * [[practicable]]

+ * [[practical]]

+ * [[practitioner]]

+ * [[practise]]

+ * [[pragmatic]]

+ * [[praxis]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Etymonline quotes a 19th-century warning that ''practice'' is sometimes wrongly used for ''experience'', a much broader word: practice is the repetition of an act.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}