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attention

Etymology and origin of the French word attention

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1536, Nicolas de Troyes
Borrowed from
Latin attentio
Ultimate origin
Latin (tendō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin tendo
French tendre
Latin attendo
English attend
French attendre
Latin attentio
English attention
French attention
Latin obtendo
Latin obtentus

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /a.tɑ̃.sjɔ̃/[1]

Forms

attention f (uncountable)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin attentiō (“attention, application”), from attentum, the supine of attendō (“to stretch towards; to give heed”).[2][3][4][5][1] “Attendō” is formed from ad- and tendō (“to stretch”), French attendre is its inherited form.[2][6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Bloch and Wartburg and the Grand Robert date it to 1536 (Nicolas de Troyes), meaning the act of fixing the mind on something; the Petit Robert notes an isolated use in 1360 and a record from 1487.[3][2][7]

Semantic evolution

The sense of thoughtful care for someone, des attentions “kind gestures”, followed the mental sense.[6][8] Attention ! as a warning, prenez garde, is noted by Littré, with the military command attention au commandement.[6] Faire attention à is “to take care, mind”, and à l'attention de marks the person a letter is for.[4] The adjective attentionné “considerate” dates from 1819 and inattention from 1671.[3]

Timeline

  • 1360 – An isolated record.[7]
  • 1536 – In Nicolas de Troyes.[2][3]
  • 1671 – Inattention.[3]
  • 1819 – Attentionné.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. attention, concentration of the mind: écouter avec attention.[8][7]
  2. Faire attention: to pay attention, be careful: fais attention à la marche.[4]
  3. A kind thought or gesture, consideration: il a pour elle mille attentions.[8][1]
  4. À l'attention de: for the attention of (on a letter).[4]
  5. (psychology) The state in which the mind is directed to certain contents.[8]

Interjection

  1. Look out!, careful!: attention, chien méchant.[6][9]

Word family

  • attentionnel
  • attentionné
  • inattention

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 25, 713a
  6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Attention.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/attention. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·