Etymologically
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baisser

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 14:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /bɛ.se/[1]
  • IPA: /be.se/[1]
  • IPA (Quebec): /bɛ.se/[1]
  • IPA (Quebec): /bɛː.se/[1]

Forms

baisser[1] Old French baissier (1080).[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French baissier, from popular Latin inherited from Vulgar Latin *bassiō, derived from Late Latin bassus (“low”) (see bas); in Romance it stands opposed to “*altiāre” (see hausser).[2][4][3][5][1]

Cognate with Old Occitan baissar, Catalan baixar, Spanish bajar and Portuguese baixar.[6][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) it means to bend a part of the body towards the ground: Baisse son chef, si comence à penser “he bows his head and begins to think”.[7][2]

Semantic evolution

In seamanship it meant to lower (about 1150), and of a sound to reduce its strength (about 1175).[2] Se baisser is from 1432.[2] Intransitively it meant to decline in height from the 12th century (Li soleuz besse, the sun goes down), and figuratively of sound or light.[2][7] From the 17th century it was used of a person losing strength or faculties, and in trade of a falling price (1695); the transitive “to lower the price of” followed in 1835.[2] Baisser pavillon “to strike one's flag” gave the figurative “to give in”.[8][7]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Baissier, Chanson de Roland.[2]
  • c. 1150 – To lower, in seamanship.[2]
  • c. 1175 – To lower a sound.[2]
  • 1432 – Se baisser.[2]
  • 1695 – Of falling prices.[2]
  • 1723 – Baisse.[4]
  • 1835 – To lower a price.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To lower, let down: baisser un store, baisser la vitre, baisser pavillon, to give in.[8][9]
  2. To bow, bend (a part of the body): baisser la tête, baisser les yeux, tête baissée, headlong.[8][9]
  3. To turn down, reduce: baisser le son, baisser les prix, baisser la voix.[1][2]
  4. Baisser les bras: to give up.[1]
  5. (intransitive) To go down, fall, drop: les prix baissent, le jour baisse.[1][2]
  6. (intransitive) To decline, weaken: sa vue baisse.[1][2]
  7. Se baisser: to bend down, stoop.[1][2]

Word family

  • baisse
  • baissier
  • abaisser
  • abaissement
  • rabaisser
  • rabais
  • rebaisser
  • surbaissé

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 p q Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 1, 272a
  6. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  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
  9. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse