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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 4y ago by PSTH‭  ·  edited 2y ago by PSTH‭

#7: Post edited by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2022-07-03T20:54:13Z (over 2 years 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 (about 4 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 (about 4 years ago)
#4: Post edited by user avatar Monica Cellio‭ · 2020-11-27T18:29:35Z (about 4 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 (about 4 years ago)
#2: Post edited by user avatar Moshi‭ · 2020-11-10T23:31:56Z (about 4 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 (about 4 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.