Communities

Writing
Writing
Codidact Meta
Codidact Meta
The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors
Photography & Video
Photography & Video
Scientific Speculation
Scientific Speculation
Cooking
Cooking
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Judaism
Judaism
Languages & Linguistics
Languages & Linguistics
Software Development
Software Development
Mathematics
Mathematics
Christianity
Christianity
Code Golf
Code Golf
Music
Music
Physics
Physics
Linux Systems
Linux Systems
Power Users
Power Users
Tabletop RPGs
Tabletop RPGs
Community Proposals
Community Proposals
tag:snake search within a tag
answers:0 unanswered questions
user:xxxx search by author id
score:0.5 posts with 0.5+ score
"snake oil" exact phrase
votes:4 posts with 4+ votes
created:<1w created < 1 week ago
post_type:xxxx type of post
Search help
Notifications
Mark all as read See all your notifications »
Q&A

Post History

40%
+2 −4
Q&A How did « re » + « partir » compound to 🡲 "repartee", which means "rejoinder"?

In French, « partir » means "to (de)part". What semantic notions underlie « re » + « partir » 🡺 with the 2020 AD English meaning of repartee (i.e. riposting))? (de)parting and replying don't see...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by PSTH‭  ·  edited 1y ago by PSTH‭

#7: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2022-07-03T20:54:13Z (over 1 year ago)
  • How did « re » + « partir » compound to "repartee", which means "rejoinder"?
  • How did « re » + « partir » compound to 🡲 "repartee", which means "rejoinder"?
  • In French, « partir » means "to (de)part". What semantic notions underlie « re » + « partir » with the 2020 AD English meaning of repartee (i.e. [riposting](https://cnrtl.fr/definition/repartir) »))? (de)parting and replying don't seem related, probably because I know nothing about fencing. [repartee (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/repartee#etymonline_v_12818 "Origin and meaning of repartee")
  • > 1640s, "quick remark," from French *repartie* "an answering blow or thrust" (originally a fencing term), noun use of fem. past participle of Old French *repartir* "to reply promptly, start out again,"
  • from *re-* "back" (see [re-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/re-) + partir "to divide, separate, set out,"
  • from Latin *partiri* "to share, part, distribute, divide,"
  • from *pars* "a part, piece, a share" (from PIE root [*pere-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*pere-) (2) "to grant, allot").
  • > In 17c. often spelled reparty (see [-ee](https://www.etymonline.com/word/-ee)). Meaning "a series of sharp rejoinders exchanged" is from 1680s.
  • In French, « partir » means "to (de)part". What semantic notions underlie « re » + « partir » 🡺 with the 2020 AD English meaning of repartee (i.e. [riposting](https://cnrtl.fr/definition/repartir)))? (de)parting and replying don't seem related, probably because I know nothing about fencing.
  • >## [repartee (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/repartee#etymonline_v_12818 "Origin and meaning of repartee")
  • >
  • > 1640s, "quick remark," from French *repartie* "an answering blow or thrust" (originally a fencing term), noun use of fem. past participle of Old French *repartir* "to reply promptly, start out again,"
  • from *re-* "back" (see [re-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/re-)) + partir "to divide, separate, set out,"
  • from Latin *partiri* "to share, part, distribute, divide,"
  • from *pars* "a part, piece, a share"
  • (from PIE root [*pere-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*pere-) (2) "to grant, allot").
  • >
  • > In 17c. often spelled reparty (see [-ee](https://www.etymonline.com/word/-ee)). Meaning "a series of sharp rejoinders exchanged" is from 1680s.
  • For completeness, I quote the etymology of [part (v.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/part#etymonline_v_7250).
  • >c. 1200, *parten* "to depart, leave;" late 13c., "cause (things, persons) to separate;"
  • from Old French *partir* "to divide, separate" (10c.),
  • from Latin *partire/partiri* "to share, part, distribute, divide,"
  • from *pars* "a part, piece, a share"
  • (from PIE root [*pere-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*pere-?ref=etymonline_crossreference#etymonline_v_52860) (2) "to grant, allot").
  • >
  • >Meaning "divide" (something), especially "divide by cutting or cleaving" is from c. 1300; that of "to share something" (with others) is from early 14c. Of persons, "to separate from one another," early 14c., also intransitive, "draw or hold (persons) apart, separate by intervening." Intransitive sense of "become disunited" is from early 14c.; that of "be divided or severed" is from 1570s. Meaning "to separate the hair, comb the hair away from a dividing line" is attested from 1610s.
#6: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2020-12-02T05:19:41Z (over 3 years ago)
  • In French, « partir » means "to (de)part". So what semantic notions underlie French's « re » + « partir » with its 2020 AD English meaning of [riposting](https://cnrtl.fr/definition/repartir) »? I see no semantic relation between (de)parting and replying, probably because I know nothing about fencing. [repartee (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/repartee#etymonline_v_12818 "Origin and meaning of repartee")
  • > 1640s, "quick remark," from French *repartie* "an answering blow or thrust" (originally a fencing term), noun use of fem. past participle of Old French *repartir* "to reply promptly, start out again,"
  • from *re-* "back" (see [re-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/re-) + partir "to divide, separate, set out,"
  • from Latin *partiri* "to share, part, distribute, divide,"
  • from *pars* "a part, piece, a share" (from PIE root [*pere-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*pere-) (2) "to grant, allot").
  • > In 17c. often spelled reparty (see [-ee](https://www.etymonline.com/word/-ee)). Meaning "a series of sharp rejoinders exchanged" is from 1680s.
  • In French, « partir » means "to (de)part". What semantic notions underlie « re » + « partir » with the 2020 AD English meaning of repartee (i.e. [riposting](https://cnrtl.fr/definition/repartir) »))? (de)parting and replying don't seem related, probably because I know nothing about fencing. [repartee (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/repartee#etymonline_v_12818 "Origin and meaning of repartee")
  • > 1640s, "quick remark," from French *repartie* "an answering blow or thrust" (originally a fencing term), noun use of fem. past participle of Old French *repartir* "to reply promptly, start out again,"
  • from *re-* "back" (see [re-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/re-) + partir "to divide, separate, set out,"
  • from Latin *partiri* "to share, part, distribute, divide,"
  • from *pars* "a part, piece, a share" (from PIE root [*pere-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*pere-) (2) "to grant, allot").
  • > In 17c. often spelled reparty (see [-ee](https://www.etymonline.com/word/-ee)). Meaning "a series of sharp rejoinders exchanged" is from 1680s.
#5: Post edited by user avatar Monica Cellio‭ · 2020-11-27T18:29:58Z (over 3 years ago)
#4: Post edited by user avatar Monica Cellio‭ · 2020-11-27T18:29:35Z (over 3 years ago)
  • In French, « partir » means "to (de)part". So what semantic notions underlie French's « re » + « partir » with its 2020 AD English meaning of [riposting](https://cnrtl.fr/definition/repartir) »? I see no semantic relation between (de)parting and replying, probably because I know nothing about fencing. [repartee (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/repartee#etymonline_v_12818 "Origin and meaning of repartee")
  • > 1640s, "quick remark," from French *repartie* "an answering blow or thrust" (originally a fencing term), noun use of fem. past participle of Old French *repartir* "to reply promptly, start out again,"
  • from *re-* "back" (see [re-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/re-) + partir "to divide, separate, set out,"
  • from Latin *partiri* "to share, part, distribute, divide,"
  • from *pars* "a part, piece, a share" (from PIE root [*pere-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*pere-) (2) "to grant, allot").
  • > In 17c. often spelled reparty (see [-ee](https://www.etymonline.com/word/-ee)). Meaning "a series of sharp rejoinders exchanged" is from 1680s.
  • In French, « partir » means "to (de)part". So what semantic notions underlie French's « re » + « partir » with its 2020 AD English meaning of [riposting](https://cnrtl.fr/definition/repartir) »? I see no semantic relation between (de)parting and replying, probably because I know nothing about fencing. [repartee (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/repartee#etymonline_v_12818 "Origin and meaning of repartee")
  • > 1640s, "quick remark," from French *repartie* "an answering blow or thrust" (originally a fencing term), noun use of fem. past participle of Old French *repartir* "to reply promptly, start out again,"
  • from *re-* "back" (see [re-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/re-) + partir "to divide, separate, set out,"
  • from Latin *partiri* "to share, part, distribute, divide,"
  • from *pars* "a part, piece, a share" (from PIE root [*pere-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*pere-) (2) "to grant, allot").
  • > In 17c. often spelled reparty (see [-ee](https://www.etymonline.com/word/-ee)). Meaning "a series of sharp rejoinders exchanged" is from 1680s.
#3: Post edited by user avatar Monica Cellio‭ · 2020-11-27T18:29:20Z (over 3 years ago)
#2: Post edited by user avatar Moshi‭ · 2020-11-10T23:31:56Z (over 3 years ago)
In French, « partir » means "to (de)part". So what semantic notions underlie French's « re » +  « partir » with its 2020 AD English meaning of [riposting](https://cnrtl.fr/definition/repartir) »? I see no semantic relation between (de)parting and replying, probably because I know nothing about fencing. [repartee (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/repartee#etymonline_v_12818 "Origin and meaning of repartee")

> 1640s, "quick remark," from French *repartie* "an answering blow or thrust" (originally a fencing term), noun use of fem. past participle of Old French *repartir* "to reply promptly, start out again,"      
from *re-* "back" (see [re-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/re-) + partir "to divide, separate, set out,"     
from Latin *partiri* "to share, part, distribute, divide,"    
 from *pars* "a part, piece, a share" (from PIE root [*pere-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*pere-) (2) "to grant, allot"). 

> In 17c. often spelled reparty (see [-ee](https://www.etymonline.com/word/-ee)). Meaning "a series of sharp rejoinders exchanged" is from 1680s.
#1: Initial revision by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2020-11-10T07:35:51Z (over 3 years ago)
How did « re » + « partir » compound to "repartee", which means "rejoinder"?
In French, « partir » means "to (de)part". So what semantic notions underlie French's « re » +  « partir » with its 2020 AD English meaning of [riposting](https://cnrtl.fr/definition/repartir) »? I see no semantic relation between (de)parting and replying, probably because I know nothing about fencing. [repartee (n.)](https://www.etymonline.com/word/repartee#etymonline_v_12818 "Origin and meaning of repartee")

> 1640s, "quick remark," from French *repartie* "an answering blow or thrust" (originally a fencing term), noun use of fem. past participle of Old French *repartir* "to reply promptly, start out again,"      
from *re-* "back" (see [re-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/re-) + partir "to divide, separate, set out,"     
from Latin *partiri* "to share, part, distribute, divide,"    
 from *pars* "a part, piece, a share" (from PIE root [*pere-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*pere-) (2) "to grant, allot"). 

> In 17c. often spelled reparty (see [-ee](https://www.etymonline.com/word/-ee)). Meaning "a series of sharp rejoinders exchanged" is from 1680s.