transmettre

Transmettre is a French verb that means to send something from one person or thing to another, or to convey information, ideas, or possessions. It can refer to physical objects, information, skills, or values being passed along through time or space, as well as to signals or diseases being propagated.

Etymology and form: the word derives from Latin transmittere, from trans- “across” and mittere “to send.” In modern French it conjugates with the stem transmet- in the present tense: je transmets, tu transmets, il transmet, nous transmettons, vous transmettez, ils transmettent; the past participle is transmis. It is used with a direct object: on transmet quelque chose à quelqu’un.

Usage: Transmettre covers a broad range of contexts. In information and communication, one transmits data, a message, or knowledge, for example “transmettre une information” or “transmettre un savoir-faire.” In technology, it describes the sending of signals or data through networks, with related terms such as transmetteur (transmitter) and transmission (transmission). In biology and medicine, it refers to the spread of diseases or the inheritance of traits, as in “transmettre une maladie” or “la transmission génétique.” Culturally or socially, one can transmit traditions, language, or memories to future generations.

Related terms: transmissible (adjective meaning capable of being transmitted), transmission (the act or process of transmitting), transmetteur (a device or person that transmits). See also concepts such as communication, signal, and contagion, which intersect with the different uses of transmettre.