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copain

Etymology and origin of the French word copain

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
First attested
1838
Inherited from
Old French compain
Ultimate origin
Latin (pānis)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kɔ.pɛ̃/[1]

Forms

copain m (plural copains, feminine copine)[1] Earlier copin (1708, 1843), compaing (1883), compain (1919); the spelling copain became fixed in the 20th century.[2][3][4] The feminine is copine (before 1883).[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French compain with its vowel denasalized, “compain” was the old nominative of compagnon, and the form “coppin” “companion” is already in Molinet, after 1450.[2][3][4][5] The GLLF calls it a Norman-Picard form.[6] “Compain” is from Late Latin compāniō (“companion”), literally “one who shares bread”, from com- and pānis (“bread”), Wiktionary takes it as a calque of Proto-West Germanic *gahlaibō.[1][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

An isolated record in Furetière (1708), copin “a tall, foolish simpleton”, may not be the same word, copain “comrade” is recorded in 1838, and Balzac has copin in 1843.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Littré records it as a schoolboy term, a comrade one shares with.[8] It is a familiar word for a good comrade, between a mere camarade and an ami, sometimes with the pejorative idea of an accomplice (les copains et les coquins); about 1895 it became, like petit ami, a euphemism for a lover, and petit copain means a boyfriend.[3][2][1] Être copain, copain-copain is used as an adjective.[3] The derivatives copiner (1928), copinerie (1936) and copinage (1946) followed.[2][3]

Timeline

  • After 1450 – Coppin “companion”, Molinet.[2]
  • 1708 – Copin “simpleton”, Furetière.[2]
  • 1838 – Copain “comrade”.[2]
  • Before 1883 – Copine.[2]
  • c. 1895 – “Lover”.[2][3]
  • 1928 – Copiner.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (familiar) A friend, pal, mate: un copain de classe, salut les copains.[1][7]
  2. (familiar) Petit copain: a boyfriend.[1][3]
  3. (pejorative) Les copains: cronies: les petits copains.[7][6]

Adjective

  1. (familiar) Friendly, pally: ils sont très copains, copains comme cochons.[3][1]

Word family

  • copine
  • copiner
  • copinage
  • copinerie

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b 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, 967b
  6. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
Cite this entry

“Copain.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/copain. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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