Etymologically
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cinquante

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 15:34. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Belgium, France): /sɛ̃.kɑ̃t/[1]
  • IPA (Canada): /sẽ.kãt/[1]
  • IPA (Canada): /sãẽ̯.kãt/[1]

Forms

cinquante (invariable)[2][1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French cinquante, inherited from Vulgar Latin cīnquāgintā, a form found in inscriptions, from Classical Latin quīnquāgintā (“fifty”) by regressive dissimilation.[2][3][4][5] The Latin numeral is related to quīnque (“five”).[6]

Cognate with Italian cinquanta, Old Occitan cinquanta, Catalan cinquanta, Spanish cincuenta and Portuguese cincoenta.[7][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) it is a cardinal number: Cinquante chars qu'en fera charier.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

By extension it is used for a large number, as in cinquante fois “often”, found about 1268.[2][8] The noun use, the number fifty, dates from 1585, and the Académie records the ordinal use (page cinquante) in 1835.[2] Derivatives include cinquantaine and cinquantième (13th century) and cinquantenaire (1872), formed after centenaire.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – In the Chanson de Roland.[2]
  • c. 1268 – Cinquante fois “often”.[2]
  • 13th century – Cinquantaine and cinquantième.[3]
  • 1585 – The noun, in Noël du Fail.[2]
  • 1835 – The ordinal use, recorded by the Académie.[2]
  • 1872 – Cinquantenaire.[3]

Meanings

Numeral

  1. Fifty: cinquante pages.[9][1]
  2. An indefinite large number: je ne vous le répéterai pas cinquante fois.[9][8]
  3. (ordinal) Fiftieth: page cinquante, les années cinquante.[8][2]

Noun

  1. The number fifty or the figure 50, cinquante pour cent, half.[8]

Word family

  • cinquantaine
  • cinquantième
  • cinquantenaire
  • cinq
  • quinquagénaire
  • Latin quīnquāgintā

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1479b
  6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  8. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert