Etymologically
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coupon

Etymology and origin of the French word coupon

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1223, Gautier de Coinci
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French coupon
English coupon

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ku.pɔ̃/[1]

Forms

coupon m (plural coupons)[1] Copon, coupon (12th–13th century).[2]

Etymology

It is formed from couper (“to cut”) with the suffix “-on”.[3][4][5][6] “Couper” is derived from coup, from Vulgar Latin “colpus” (Salic Law), from Latin colaphus (“cuff, punch”), from Greek “kolaphos”.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gautier de Coinci (about 1223) has it for a piece cut off something;[3][5] the 13th century speaks of coupons de candelle, candle ends.[6]

Semantic evolution

Jehan de Saintré (15th century) has a couppon de lance, a piece of a lance, and Anglo-Norman used it for a slice or a log.[6][7] In 1466 it was the remnant of a bolt of cloth, still sold off as coupons.[3][8] From 1718 it was a slip detached from a counterfoil, especially the coupon of a bearer security, cut off and presented for payment of interest or dividends.[3][2] Coupon-réponse dates from 1911.[8] English coupon was borrowed in 1822 for the interest coupon of a bond, Thomas Cook widened it to a ticket in the 1860s.[9]

Timeline

  • c. 1223 – “A piece cut off”, in Gautier de Coinci.[3]
  • 1466 – A remnant of cloth.[3]
  • 1718 – A coupon of a security.[3]
  • 1762 – In the Académie.[2]
  • 1822 – English coupon.[9]
  • 1911 – Coupon-réponse.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A remnant (of fabric): coupons en solde.[8][1]
  2. (finance) A coupon (of a share or bond).[8][1]
  3. A ticket, voucher: coupon de carte de transport.[8][2]
  4. Coupon-réponse: a reply coupon.[8][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  3. ^ a b c d e f g 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
  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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  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
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Coupon.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/coupon. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·