Etymologically
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connaissance

Etymology and origin of the French word connaissance

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1100, Chanson de Roland
Ultimate origin
Latin (nosco)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɔ.nɛ.sɑ̃s/[1]
  • IPA: /kɔ.ne.sɑ̃s/[1]

Forms

connaissance f (plural connaissances)[1] Old French conoissance (about 1100), cognoissance (about 1265), connoissance (1283), congnoissance (1491); connaissance in the 17th century.[2][3] Palsgrave notes that cognoissance was pronounced conoisance.[4]

Etymology

It is formed from the stem of the present participle of connaître with the suffix -ance.[2][5][3] Wiktionary instead derives the Old French conoissance from Late Latin cognōscentia, from Latin cognōscēns, the present participle of cognōscō (“to get to know”),[1] a compound of nōscō (“to know”).[6]

Compare Old Occitan conoissensa, Catalan conexensa, Old Spanish conocencia and Italian conoscenza.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Chanson de Roland (about 1100) has conoisance “act of knowing; notion of something”,[2] and also the plural cunoisances for the devices on knights' shields, by which they were recognized.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant “the faculty of knowing” about 1265 (Brunetto Latini), and in law the right to judge certain persons or cases (Beaumanoir, 1283).[2] En connaissance de cause (1409) was first a legal phrase.[6] Commynes uses it for experience or skill (1491), and Montaigne the plural for the body of what one knows (1595).[2] From before 1650 (Vaugelas) it is also consciousness, as in perdre connaissance.[2]

Of people it meant a relationship with someone (1494) and also sexual relations (1554).[2] A connaissance, a person one knows, is in Pascal's Provinciales (1656), but already in Peiresc's letters in 1628;[2][7] a Geneva glossary of 1852 records the popular sense “sweetheart”.[2] Être en pays de connaissance “to be among familiar people” is in Furetière (1690).[7]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Conoisance in the Chanson de Roland.[2]
  • c. 1265 – “Faculty of knowing”, in Brunetto Latini.[2]
  • 1283 – A judge's competence, in Beaumanoir.[2]
  • 1409 – En connaissance de cause.[6]
  • 1494 – A relationship with someone.[2]
  • 1595 – The plural for learning, in Montaigne.[2]
  • 1628 – A person one knows, in Peiresc.[7]
  • Before 1650 – Consciousness, in Vaugelas.[2]
  • 1690 – Être en pays de connaissance.[7]
  • 1823 – Faire connaissance avec quelque chose.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Knowledge of something: Il a une bonne connaissance de l'anglais, à ma connaissance, as far as I know, en connaissance de cause, with full knowledge of the facts.[8][1]
  2. (philosophy) The act or faculty of knowing; cognition.[3][2]
  3. Connaissances (plural): what one has learned, learning.[2][8]
  4. Consciousness: perdre connaissance, to faint, reprendre connaissance, to come round.[2][1]
  5. Acquaintance with a person: faire la connaissance de quelqu'un; also a person one knows.[1][2]
  6. Prendre connaissance de: to examine, acquaint oneself with (a document).[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 t 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b c d Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Connaissance.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/connaissance. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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