Etymologically
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coller

Etymology and origin of the French word coller

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1320
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek (κόλλα)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɔ.le/[1]

Forms

coller[1]

Etymology

It is from French colle + -er, from the noun colle “glue”.[2][3][4][1] “Colle” is from Vulgar Latin *colla, borrowed from Ancient Greek κόλλα (kólla, “glue”).[4][5]

Compare Italian collare and Portuguese colar “to glue”.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

A Paris document of 1320 has it for making something stick with glue.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

In 1376 it meant to fine wine with isinglass, and in the 16th century Ronsard has collez sur un livre, “glued to a book”, Noël du Fail (1585) uses it for putting or placing something.[2] From the 19th century slang and familiar uses multiplied: to put in detention, first in the slang of the École polytechnique (about 1855; 1878), whence colle “detention; poser”; to floor someone with a question (Balzac, 1839); to stick close to someone (coller aux basques); se coller “to live together” (1878); and coller “to fling, give” (coller une gifle, Zola, 1885).[2][4][7][1] Intransitively it means to fit, tally: ça colle.[1][8] Computing uses it for pasting text.[8]

Timeline

  • 1320 – To glue.[2]
  • 1375 – Date given by Bloch and Wartburg.[4]
  • 1376 – To fine (wine).[2]
  • 1839 – To floor (with a question), Balzac.[2]
  • 1878 – To put in detention, se coller “to live together”.[2]
  • 1885 – “To fling”, Zola.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To stick, glue: coller une affiche, coller un timbre.[8][1]
  2. To press, put close: coller son oreille à la porte, coller qqn, to stick to someone.[1][8]
  3. (intransitive) To stick; to fit closely; to tally, fit: ça ne colle pas.[1][8]
  4. (computing) To paste.[8]
  5. (familiar) To give, land: coller une gifle; to put, shove.[7][1]
  6. (familiar) To put in detention; to floor (with a question).[2][8]
  7. (familiar) Se coller: to live together.[2][1]

Word family

  • collage
  • collant
  • colleur
  • décoller
  • recoller
  • encoller
  • colle
  • Ancient Greek κόλλα (kólla)

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 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  6. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Coller.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/coller. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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