réputé

Réputé is a French adjective meaning well known or widely regarded, and it can also function as the past participle of the verb réputer. Used to describe people, places, or things, it signals that they have an established reputation, positive or sometimes neutral or negative, within a given context. The feminine form is réputée and the plural forms are réputés or réputées, depending on the noun they modify.

Etymology and nuance: réputer comes from Latin reputare, meaning to reckon or think again, with sense evolution toward evaluating worth or status. In contemporary usage, réputer emphasizes the perception of credibility or prestige within a field or community, rather than mere fame. This can give it a more measured or specialized nuance than synonyms like célèbre (famous) or renommé (renowned).

Usage: The word often appears before nouns, as in un médecin réputé or une université réputée, to denote high regard. It can also follow the construction réputer pour, as in une entreprise réputée pour son service client, meaning it is particularly known for that quality. While most often positive, the term can imply a stereotype or stereotype-driven view when used with negative qualifiers, as in un quartier réputé dangereux, depending on context.

See also: Réputation, réputé peut be contrasted with synonyms such as célèbre, renommé, notoriété. In practice, réputer conveys a judged or acknowledged status that is recognized by a community or profession, rather than a universal or objective measure.