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éclat

Etymology and origin of the French word éclat

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Back-formation
First attested
c. 1165, Benoît de Sainte-Maure, Roman de Troie
Ultimate origin
Frankish (*slaitan)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French éclater
French éclat

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /e.kla/[1]

Forms

éclat m (plural éclats)[1]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun from French éclater, Old French esclat.[2][3][4][5][1] The verb probably comes from Frankish *slaitan (“to split, break”), compare Old High German sleizan (“to tear”), while Italian schiattare goes back to the corresponding Lombardic form.[5][6] Bloch and Wartburg explain the kept ⟨s⟩ by the long period of bilingualism in Merovingian times, when the Germanic and the Romanized forms lived side by side.[5] Wiktionary traces the Frankish verb to Proto-Germanic *slaitijaną, a causative of *slītaną (“to split”), and compares Old English slītan.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Benoît de Sainte-Maure's Roman de Troie (about 1165) uses esclat for a fragment of something broken or burst;[2][7] Littré quotes les lances volent par esclas “the lances fly into splinters”.[2][7]

Semantic evolution

In the second half of the 15th century it meant a violent, sudden noise, esclas de tonnoire “claps of thunder”, whence rire aux éclats and éclats de voix.[2][7][8] Thierry (1564) records it for the intensity of a bright light, and Corneille (1643) for the vividness of a colour.[2]

Figuratively it meant splendour, brilliance (1604, Montchrestien), a sudden, loud outburst (1616, d'Aubigné) and a scandal (1645, Corneille); coup d'éclat “a striking action” and faire un éclat “to make a scene” continue these senses.[2][4][1]

Timeline

  • c. 1165 – Esclat “fragment”, in Benoît de Sainte-Maure.[2]
  • 2nd half of the 15th century – Esclas de tonnoire “claps of thunder”.[2]
  • 1553 – The noun éclatement.[5]
  • 1564 – The brightness of light, in Thierry.[2]
  • 1604 – “Splendour”, in Montchrestien.[2]
  • 1643 – The vividness of a colour, in Corneille.[2]
  • 1645 – “Scandal”, in Corneille.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A splinter, fragment, chip: éclat de verre, éclat d'obus, voler en éclats, to shatter.[8][1]
  2. A sudden loud noise, a burst: éclats de voix, rire aux éclats, to roar with laughter.[8][1]
  3. Brightness, brilliance (of light, a colour, the eyes).[2][1]
  4. Splendour, lustre: l'éclat de la jeunesse, coup d'éclat, a brilliant feat.[2][1]
  5. A scandal, a scene: faire un éclat, sans éclat, discreetly.[2][1]
  6. (Louisiana, plural) Kindling.[1]
  • éclater
  • éclatant
  • Frankish *slaitan
  • English slit

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 17, 142a
  7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Éclat.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/%C3%A9clat. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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