Dictionary

interpellate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˌɪn.təɹˈpɛl.eɪt/
• /ɪnˈtɜɹ.pəˌleɪt/

Etymology

First attested in 1599; borrowed from Latin interpellātus, perfect passive participle of interpellō, see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with French interpeller.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) To interrupt (someone) so as to inform or question (that person about something).
2. To address (a person) in a way that presupposes a particular identification of them; to give (a person) an identity (which may or may not be accurate).
   • […] the question may be whether the individual should let herself be interpellated as a feminist, a Christian or a worker. Perhaps all of these possibilities seem attractive, but they point in different directions […] 2002, Marianne Jørgensen, Louise J. Phillips, Discourse Analysis As Theory and Method, page 41:
   • […] whereas the Palestinian subjects are interpellated as: the martyr... a young Palestinian... a Palestinian teenager. 2009, Samia Bazzi, Arab News and Conflict: A Multidisciplinary Discourse Study:
   • […] a Master of Ceremonies' words "Ladies and gentlemen" […] interpellates those being addressed as an audience, and one that is differentiated by gender. 1996, “The Cambridge History of American Literature”, in Sacvan Bercovitch, editor, Poetry and criticism, 1940-1995, volume 8, page 408:
3. (transitive) To question (someone) formally concerning official or governmental policy or business.
   • After the gentleman and Senator [Mariano Jesús] Cuenco interpellated me, I knew already that my bill was hopeless. That is why I presented that bill on February 4th, but it slept the sleep of the just in the Committee on Education. 1958 May 9, [Roseller Tarroza] Lim, “Manifestaciones del Sen. [Decoroso] Rosales”, in Republic of the Philippines Congressional Record (Senate of the Philippines), volume I, number 67, Manila, Philippines: Bureau of Printing, →OCLC, page 1343, column 1:

Forms

Deriveds

interpellation · interpellator

Relateds

interpolate · interpel

Translations (15)

fr interpeller (interrupt so as to inform or question) · da interpellere (question formally about government business) · nl interpelleren (question formally about government business) · es interpelar (address in a way that presupposes a particular identification) · el επερωτώ (address in a way that presupposes a particular identification) · de interpellieren (question formally about government business) · pt interpelar (interrupt so as to inform or question) · sv interpellera (question formally about government business) · el επερωτώ διακοπτω (interrupt so as to inform or question) · nn interpellere (question formally about government business) · fr interpeller (question formally about government business) · el επερωτώ (question formally about government business) · de interpellieren (address in a way that presupposes a particular identification) · nb interpellere (question formally about government business) · es interpelar (question formally about government business)