Etymologically
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charmant

Etymology and origin of the French word charmant

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1550, Ronsard
Ultimate origin
Latin (carmen)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʃaʁ.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

charmant (feminine charmante, masculine plural charmants, feminine plural charmantes)[1]

Etymology

Used as an adjective, it is the present participle from French charmer (“to charm, bewitch”).[2][3][4][5] Charmer continues Late Latin carminō (“to enchant”), a derivative of Latin carmen (“song; incantation”), whose sense developed in the same way.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ronsard uses it in 1550 for what casts a spell, what bewitches.[2][3][5]

Semantic evolution

In the 17th century the strong sense “exerting a powerful attraction on the senses, the heart or the mind” was the classical one, as in Racine's Phèdre.[2][3] The weaker sense “very pleasant, delightful” dates from the middle of the 17th century and is now the usual one.[3][4] The ironic use, of an unpleasant person or situation (charmante soirée !), is recorded by Larousse in 1866;[3] Littré already noted il est charmant said of someone making unreasonable demands.[6]

The prince charmant of fairy tales came to mean the ideal young man a girl dreams of.[3][7][2]

Timeline

  • 1550 – Ronsard uses charmant “bewitching”.[2][5]
  • Mid-17th century – The sense “very pleasant” appears.[3]
  • 1694 – The Académie records the word.[7]
  • 1866 – Larousse records the ironic use.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Having great charm; captivating, seductive: le prince charmant.[4][8]
  2. Very pleasant to look at or to be with; delightful, lovely: un village charmant.[4][8][3]
  3. (of people) Kind, amiable, obliging: charmant avec ses invités.[4][7]
  4. (ironic, before the noun) Unpleasant: charmante soirée ![4][3]
  • charme
  • charmer
  • charmeur
  • Latin carmen

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c 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
  8. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Charmant.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/charmant. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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