English
rationalization
Rationalization comes from French rationaliser ‘to rationalize’, and goes back to Latin reor ‘to compute’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEreor‘to compute’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEratiō‘reason, reasoning, explanation, ground, motive, rationality, rationale, purpose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEratiōnālis‘rational, reasonable, of or possessing reason’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentrationnel‘rational’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentrationaliser‘to rationalize’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentrationalisation
- Englishearliest quotation 1915rationalization
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history not traced here.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEreor‘to compute’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEratiō‘reason, reasoning, explanation, ground, motive, rationality, rationale, purpose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEratiōnālis‘rational, reasonable, of or possessing reason’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentrationnel‘rational’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentrationaliser‘to rationalize’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentrationalisation
- Englishearliest quotation 1915rationalization
Earliest quotation: 1915, John Spargo: “For socialism involves the reconstruction of industry upon the…”
Formed from rational + -ization
Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- ‘to fit, to fix, to put together, to slot’
Latin reor ‘to compute’
Latin ratio ‘reason’
Latin rationalis ‘of or belonging to reason, rational, reasonable’
Old French rationel
English rational
first attested First attested in 1831 (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1831.
Linked words
through Latin reor ‘to compute’
rate, reasonable, irritate, ratify, 13 more
through Latin ratiō ‘reason, reasoning, explanation, ground,…’
through French rationalisation
Today it means
noun The process or result of rationalizing, or expressing in rational terms.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin reor / rationalization