English
rationalize
Rationalize 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’
- Englishearliest quotation 1987rationalize
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’
- Englishearliest quotation 1987rationalize
Earliest quotation: 1987, Exhuming McCarthy: “Vested interest, united ties, / landed gentry, rationalize. /…”
Equivalent to rational + -ize
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
Linked words
through Latin reor ‘to compute’
rate, reasonable, irritate, ratify, 14 more
through Latin ratiō ‘reason, reasoning, explanation, ground,…’
Today it means
verb To make something rational or more rational.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin reor / rationalize