Etymologically
Log in

compagnie

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 22:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɔ̃.pa.ɲi/[1]
  • IPA: /kɔ̃.pa.ni/[1]

Forms

compagnie f (plural compagnies)[1] Old French cumpainie (about 1050), cumpagnie (1080), compaignie (about 1175); also compaigne (until the 15th century) and compagnée (until the 17th).[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is either derived with “-ie” from Old French compain (“companion”) (see compagnon, copain), or a remaking of Old French “compaigne” (about 1050), from Vulgar Latin *compānia, from Late Latin “compāniō” “companion”, from “cum” “with” and Latin pānis (“bread”).[2][3][4][1] Littré explained the two Old French forms from Low Latin “compánia” and “companíta”.[5]

Compare Old Occitan companhia, Catalan companyia, Spanish compañía, Portuguese companha and Italian compagnia.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Vie de saint Alexis (about 1050) has cumpainie for a gathering of people;[2][3] the Chanson de Roland has Vingt mille Francs ont en lur cumpaignie and uses it for a band of armed men.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

It names first of all the fact of being with someone: tenir compagnie (Chrétien de Troyes, about 1175), fausser compagnie (1540), dame de compagnie, animal de compagnie.[2][3] From the military band came the unit under a captain (1585) and, since 1945, the Compagnies républicaines de sécurité (CRS).[2][3]

From 1283 it was also an association of people bound by common aims or statutes: a group of debtors at Lille, trading companies (1562, la Compagnie des Indes), the Compagnie de Jésus (before 1655) and theatre companies (late 16th century); et Cie names unlisted partners.[2][3] Amyot (1559) used it for a group of animals, as in hunting a compagnie of partridges or wild boar.[2][6]

Timeline

  • c. 1050 – Cumpainie in the Vie de saint Alexis.[2]
  • c. 1100 – An armed troop, in the Chanson de Roland.[2]
  • c. 1175 – Tenir conpaignie in Chrétien de Troyes.[2]
  • 1283 – An association of debtors.[2]
  • 1540 – Faulcer compaignie.[2]
  • 1559 – A group of animals, in Amyot.[2]
  • 1585 – A military company.[2]
  • 1635 – A trading company, in Monet.[2]
  • Before 1655 – Compagnie de Jésus.[2]
  • 1945 – The CRS.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Company, companionship: rechercher la compagnie de qqn, tenir compagnie à qqn, en compagnie de: with.[7][1]
  2. A gathering, party: une joyeuse compagnie.[6][7]
  3. A company, firm: compagnie d'assurances, compagnie aérienne, et Cie.[6][1]
  4. A company (of actors): compagnie théâtrale.[6][3]
  5. (military) A company.[7][2]
  6. (hunting) A covey, herd: une compagnie de perdreaux.[6][2]
  7. Phrases: fausser compagnie: to give someone the slip, de bonne compagnie: well-bred, animal de compagnie: pet, dame de compagnie: lady's companion.[7][8]

Word family

  • accompagner
  • compagnon
  • copain
  • pain
  • Latin pānis

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ a b c d e Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  7. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse