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défilement

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Etymology and origin of the French word défilement

défilement1 defilade

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1785 Encyclopédie méthodique
Ultimate origin
Latin fīlum
Etymology tree of défilement1
inherited borrowed derived
Latin fīlum
French fil
French défiler
French défilement
Italian filo
Romanian fir
Spanish filo
Spanish hilo
From the same root · défilement1
French filet ← fīlum
Latin fīlāmentum ← fīlum
Latin fīlō ← fīlum
Romanian înfira ← fīlum
French enfiler ← fil
Italian fila ← filo
Spanish hilar ← hilo

Pronunciation

  • /de.fil.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

défilement m (plural défilements)[1]

Etymology

The word for the military defilade is a derivative from French défiler1 + -ment, from the verb in its military sense “to shield troops from enemy fire along their line”.[2][3][4][5] That verb is the one formed on fil (thread), first meaning to unthread.[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1785, in the Encyclopédie méthodique, as a military term for sheltering troops from the enemy's view and fire.[4][2]

Semantic evolution

Littré defined it as a term of fortification: the layout or construction that keeps the defenders inside a work out of reach of the attacker's projectiles, and the result of that work.[6] The modern definitions speak more broadly of the art of using the lie of the land or artificial screens, such as smoke, to hide from the enemy, and by metonymy of the feature that gives cover.[7][4][8] The related verb sense gave the familiar se défiler “to slip away, dodge” (1860).[5]

Timeline

  • 1785 – First recorded in the Encyclopédie méthodique.[4][2]
  • 1829 – The verb défiler is found in the sense “to shield troops from enfilade”.[5]
  • 1873 – Littré defines it as a term of fortification.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (military) Defilade, the art of using the ground or artificial screens to hide from the enemy's view and fire, cover.[3][7][9]
  2. (military) A feature of the ground or a man-made defence that gives such cover.[7]
  3. (forestry) The narrowing of a tree trunk from its base to the top.[8]

défilement2 scrolling, passing in file

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1832
Ultimate origins
French dé-,-mentProto-Italic *fī(s)lo-
Etymology tree of défilement2
inherited borrowed derived
Latin fīlum
French fil
Italian filo
Romanian fir
Spanish filo
Spanish hilo
Latin fīlō
French filer
French file
Spanish fila
French défiler
French défilement
Italian filare
Spanish hilar
From the same root · défilement2
French filet ← fīlum
Latin fīlāmentum ← fīlum
Romanian înfira ← fīlum
French enfiler ← fil
Italian fila ← filo
French défilé ← défiler

Pronunciation

  • /de.fil.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

défilement m (plural défilements)[1]

Etymology

The word for passing in procession or through a machine is a derivative from French défiler2 + -ment, from the verb in the sense “to march in file”, formed on file.[2][3][5][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1832 meaning a march-past of troops, what is now called a défilé.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

In the sense of a troop march-past it was soon displaced by défilé;[6][5] Littré already sends the reader to that word as more usual.[6][5] The Petit Robert dates this use to 1843.[3]

In the 20th century it was taken up as a technical term for the continuous running of a strip through a machine, such as a film in a projector or a magnetic tape, dated 1921 by the Grand Robert and 1927 by Rey.[2][3][5][7] In computing it is the scrolling of information across a window or screen, as in barre de défilement “scroll bar”.[3][1]

Timeline

  • 1648 – The verb défiler “to march in file” is first recorded.[5]
  • 1832 – Défilement is used for a march-past of troops.[2][5]
  • 1921 – First found as a technical term for a strip running through a machine.[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (technology) The continuous running of a film or tape through a machine: la vitesse de défilement d'une bobine.[3][7][8]
  2. (computing) Scrolling of text or images across a window or screen: barre de défilement.[3][1]
  3. (obsolete) A march-past of troops.[2][6]

Usage notes

In the sense of a parade of troops, défilé is the usual word.[6][5]

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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c d e 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
  8. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Défilement.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/d%C3%A9filement. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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