Etymologically
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camoufler

Etymology and origin of the French word camoufler

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1821
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French camoufler
English camouflage

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ka.mu.fle/[1]

Forms

camoufler[1]

Etymology

It was probably formed with the ending “-er” on the stem of camouflet, the idea of concealment coming from that of smoke,[2][3][4][5][6] rather than borrowed from Italian camuffare (“to disguise, make unrecognisable”) (late 13th–early 14th century, “to deceive”, 15th century), as some had thought; that hypothesis would in any case need “camouflet” to explain the ⟨fl⟩.[2][3] Wiktionary takes “camouflet” itself from the Italian verb.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Thieves' slang has the reflexive se camoufler “to disguise oneself” in 1821, and Vidocq's Les Voleurs (1836) the transitive “to disguise”.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

At first a slang word, it also meant “to doctor” a drink (1878), and was used in the theatre.[2][3] During the First World War it became a military term for hiding equipment from the enemy (Barbusse, 1916, Loti's canons… bien camouflés), with figurative uses (camoufler une faute).[2][3][6] Camouflage (1887) took on the same senses and was specialised for military concealment by the end of the war.[3]

Timeline

  • 1821 – Se camoufler.[2]
  • 1836 – In Vidocq.[2]
  • 1878 – “To doctor (a drink)”.[2]
  • 1887 – Camouflage.[3]
  • 1914–1918 – In military use.[2]
  • 1916 – In Barbusse, camoufleur.[2][3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To camouflage, disguise (so as to be unrecognisable or invisible): camoufler du matériel de guerre.[7][8]
  2. (figurative) To hide, cover up: camoufler une faute, camoufler un meurtre en suicide.[7][6]
  3. (reflexive) To camouflage oneself.[7][2]

Word family

  • camouflage
  • camouflage
  • camoufleur
  • camouflet

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)

Descendants

Cite this entry

“Camoufler.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/camoufler. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·