écarter

Meaning

to separate, move apart
to spread, open (fingers, legs etc)
to draw (curtains)
to dismiss, rule out, turn down
to remove a person from a job or position
to lose
to withdraw, diverge, deviate
to stray

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/e.kaʁ.te/

Etymology

According to the Trésor de la Langue Française, borrowed from Vulgar Latin *exquartāre, from classical Latin quartus. The Vocabolario Etimologico of Pianigiani gives Vulgar Latin *excarptāre, formed with the supine Latin *excarptum of Latin *excarpāre or Latin excerpō (“choose, select”). At the same time, Pianigiani adds an alternative etymology, though not fully explained, involving a relationship to Irish scar (past participle scartha), itself derived from Old Irish scaraid. Compare Italian scartare and squartare; Spanish and Portuguese descartar; and English discard.