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désagrément

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Etymology and origin of the French word désagrément

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1640–1642 Oudin, Recherches italiennes et françoises More words from the 17th century
Ultimate origin
Latin grātus

Pronunciation

  • /de.za.ɡʁe.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

désagrément m (plural désagréments)[1] First spelled desagreement.[2][3]

Etymology

The TLFi derives it from French désagréer (“to displease”) + -ment.[2] The Grand Robert, the Petit Robert and Littré analyse it instead from French dés- + agrément.[3][4][5] Bloch and Wartburg place it in the family of gré, from Latin grātum, the neuter of grātus (“pleasing”).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1640–1642, as desagreement, in Oudin's Recherches italiennes et françoises, meaning annoyance or vexation.[2]

Semantic evolution

Besides the feeling of displeasure caused by an unwelcome event, the word was used for a defect that takes away a person's physical or moral charm, a sense the TLFi now labels dated.[2] The Académie recorded the phrase on n'en a que du désagrément from 1798 to 1932.[2] In the plural it names the things that cause displeasure.[4][7]

Timeline

  • 1640–1642 – First record, as desagreement, in Oudin.[2]
  • 1798 – The Académie records on n'en a que du désagrément.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. displeasure or annoyance caused by something unpleasant: éprouver du désagrément.[4][7]
  2. A thing that causes displeasure, a nuisance: les petits désagréments d'un voyage.[4][7]
  3. (dated) A defect that spoils a person's charm.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Désagrément.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/d%C3%A9sagr%C3%A9ment. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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