Etymologically
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chandelle

Etymology and origin of the French word chandelle

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
First attested
1119, Philippe de Thaon
Inherited from
Latin candela via Old French
Ultimate origin
Latin (candēla)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʃɑ̃.dɛl/[1]

Forms

chandelle f (plural chandelles)[1] Old French chandeile (1119), Old French chandoile (Chrétien de Troyes), chandele (before 1220), then chandelle.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French chandeile, inherited from Latin candēla (“candle”),[2][3][4][5] from Latin candēre (“to shine, glow”) (compare candeur, candide, incendie).[3][6] In the 13th century the endings “-eile”, “-oile” were replaced by the commoner suffix “-elle”.[2][4]

Compare Italian candela, Spanish candela and Old Occitan candela, and Picard “candeille”, “candelle”.[4][6] Wiktionary calls it a doublet of candela.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Philippe de Thaon's Comput (1119) has chandeile, a candle;[2] the Anglo-Norman dictionary dates the word to 1113–1119.[7]

Semantic evolution

The tallow candle went out of use, above all after the spread of the bougie, but many phrases recall its old importance: se brûler à la chandelle “to be lured by a charm” (15th century, Coquillart), brûler la chandelle par les deux bouts “to squander one's means” (1571), le jeu n'en vaut pas la chandelle “it isn't worth it” (before 1592, Montaigne), devoir une chandelle à qqn (1648, Scarron), now devoir une fière chandelle, and tenir la chandelle “to play gooseberry” (1835).[2][3][8]

From its shape it named a dribble of mucus from the nose (1578) and, from 1900, a ball hit straight up in the air (en chandelle), later a vertical climb in aerobatics.[3][9][10] In North America it is used for any candle.[1] The derivative chandelier (1160) was first a candlestick, and, from Musset's Le Chandelier (1840) also the complaisant third party who shields a love affair.[3]

Timeline

  • 1119 – Chandeile in Philippe de Thaon.[2]
  • 1160 – Chandelier.[3]
  • Before 1220 – Chandele, in Gautier de Coinci.[2]
  • 15th century – Se brûler à la chandelle.[2]
  • 1571 – Brûler la chandelle par les deux bouts.[2]
  • Before 1592 – Le jeu ne vaut pas la chandelle in Montaigne.[2]
  • 1648 – Devoir une chandelle in Scarron.[2]
  • 1835 – Tenir la chandelle.[3]
  • 1900 – In tennis, a lob.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A (tallow) candle: s'éclairer à la chandelle, dîner aux chandelles: candlelit dinner.[8][1]
  2. (North America) Any candle.[1]
  3. Phrases: devoir une fière chandelle à qqn: to owe someone a great deal, brûler la chandelle par les deux bouts: to burn the candle at both ends, tenir la chandelle: to play gooseberry, voir trente-six chandelles: to see stars.[8][1]
  4. (sport) A ball hit high in the air; a lob, an up-and-under.[10][1]
  5. (aviation) A steep vertical climb.[10][1]
  6. (familiar) A trickle of snot.[10][3]
  7. (technology) A prop, an axle stand.[10][1]

Word family

  • chandelier
  • chandelier
  • chandeleur
  • candélabre
  • candela
  • Latin candēla

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, 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. 2, 177b
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  10. ^ a b c d e Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Chandelle.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/chandelle. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·