What does pratique mean?
Pratique is an archaic English word surviving as a historical form of practice and, as a verb, practise. In its noun sense, it referred to repeated exercise, developed skill, experience, or a established method of doing something. It could therefore suggest either the practical working of a craft or the proficiency gained through applying knowledge. The verb meant to practise, perform, or carry out an activity, and is now rarely encountered in ordinary English. Although the form may sound elaborate or historical, it belongs to the same semantic and etymological family as practical, practitioner, pragmatic, and praxis. Modern speakers should normally use practice for the noun and practise for the verb. The older term nevertheless illustrates how vocabulary develops: words inherited from French and Latin can remain in literary or antiquarian use long after simpler native forms become dominant.
Practice, especially skill or method developed through experience and repeated exercise.
"He had years of pratique in resolving disputes."
Archaic and chiefly found in older English texts.
To practise, perform, or carry out an activity.
"She practised the difficult passage until she could perform it confidently."
Archaic; modern English normally uses practise in the British spelling or practice in the American spelling.
An uncommon plural form found in historical usage; modern English normally uses the plural practices.
"The old manuscripts recorded several useful pratiques for preserving books."
The word survives in an unexpected family: practical, practitioner, pragmatic, and praxis all descend from the same ancient Greek emphasis on action.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pratique come from?
English pratique came through French, whose noun pratique and related verb forms were derived from Latin practicare. The Latin verb in turn came from Greek praktikos, meaning practical or concerned with action, ultimately associated with praxis, doing or action. The English noun and verb are thus older relatives of modern practice, practical, and practitioner.
How pratique is actually used
Pratique is now archaic and uncommon in English. It should not be chosen merely as a decorative or Latinate substitute for the modern form practice.
Easily confused with pratique
Practice is the standard modern English form; pratique is a chiefly archaic form used especially in older writing.