Etymologically
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charger

Etymology and origin of the French word charger

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
First attested
c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (carger)
Inherited from
Latin carrico
Ultimate origin
Latin (carrus)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʃaʁ.ʒe/[1]

Forms

charger[1] Old French carger (Chanson de Roland), chargier (1160–74), chergier (1299).[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Late Latin carricō (“to load”), recorded in the 6th century in the syncopated form “carcare” (Salic Law), derived from carrus (“four-wheeled wagon”) (see char): properly “to put in a wagon”.[3][2][4][5][6] The Petit Robert gives “carrus” as a word of Celtic origin.[7]

Cognate with Italian caricare, Old Occitan cargar, Catalan carregar, Spanish cargar and Portuguese carregar.[8][9]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) carger is to put something heavy on a person, an animal or a vehicle: D'or et d'argent quatre cenz muls chargez.[3][9]

Semantic evolution

The idea of putting on has always remained, with different senses according to the object.[2] About 1150 Wace has charger qqc. à qqn “to entrust something to someone”, replaced by charger qqn de qqc. (1538); to charge an enemy is in Ambroise (about 1195), whence the order chargez !.[3][2] To accuse is found at the end of the 12th century, and to impose a tax in 1299.[3][2]

Loading a firearm is recorded in 1564, a furnace in 1752 and an electric battery in 1814.[3][10] Portrait chargé (1676) and charger “to exaggerate” (1704) gave the noun charge “caricature” (1680).[3][2] Chargé d'affaires is in Marat (1790), and a cab driver charge a fare from 1929.[3] In Quebec charger “to bill” is a calque of English to charge.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Carger, Chanson de Roland.[3]
  • c. 1150 – To entrust, Wace.[3]
  • c. 1195 – To charge an enemy, Ambroise.[3]
  • 1299 – To tax.[3]
  • 1564 – To load a firearm.[3]
  • 1704 – To exaggerate.[3]
  • 1790 – Chargé d'affaires, Marat.[3]
  • 1814 – To charge a battery.[3]
  • 1929 – Of a cab driver, to pick up a fare.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To load: charger une voiture, charger des marchandises sur un navire.[7][11][1]
  2. To load a firearm or a camera, fill a pipe; to charge a battery.[3][1]
  3. To burden, weigh down; to fill to excess: charger sa mémoire.[3][9]
  4. Charger quelqu'un de: to put someone in charge of, entrust with: il m'a chargé de vous le dire.[3][1]
  5. To accuse, bring evidence against: témoin qui charge l'accusé.[2][1]
  6. To charge, attack: la cavalerie chargea.[2][1]
  7. To exaggerate, caricature; in the theatre, to overact.[3][1]
  8. (familiar) Of a taxi, to pick up a passenger.[3][7]
  9. Se charger de: to take care of, see to.[1][2]

Word family

  • charge
  • chargé
  • chargement
  • chargeur
  • décharger
  • recharger
  • surcharger

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v 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
  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. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 415b
  7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  9. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  10. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  11. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Charger.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/charger. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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