Etymologically
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désoler

Etymology and origin of the French word désoler

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
late 12th century, Dialogues of Gregory (desoleit)
Borrowed from
Latin desolo
Ultimate origin
Latin (sōlus)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /de.zɔ.le/[1]

Forms

désoler[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin dēsōlō (“to depopulate, lay waste, (past participle) deserted, forsaken”), an intensive form in dē- of sōlō (“to make solitary”), from sōlus (“alone”), the source of seul.[2][3][4][5][6] In Late Latin it was set against cōnsōlor (“to console”), and Bloch and Wartburg trace its moral sense to that contrast.[2][3][7] Littré thought the sense of grief followed from that of making solitary, though “consoler” and “désoler” may have influenced each other.[8]

Compare Italian desolare, Spanish desolar and Portuguese desolar; English desolate has the same source.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

In a late 12th-century translation of Gregory's Dialogues li aluet desoleit des hommes renders Latin desolata ab hominibus praedia, “estates deserted by men”.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In 1350 it meant “to lay waste, depopulate”, of churches.[2][3] The moral sense, “to plunge into deep grief”, appears in the 14th century: désolé “afflicted” in Baudouin de Sebourc (1360–1370; about 1330 in the GLLF).[2][5] From 1672 it weakened to “to annoy, put out”, especially in the polite je suis désolé “I am sorry”, and désolant “trying” is used of a person in Rousseau's Confessions.[2][3] The reflexive se désoler is recorded in 1692.[9]

Timeline

  • late 12th century – Desoleit “deserted”.[2]
  • 1350 – “To lay waste”.[2]
  • 1360–1370 – Désolé “afflicted”.[2]
  • 1672 – “To annoy, put out”.[2][3]
  • 1692 – Se désoler.[9]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (literary) To lay waste, devastate.[9][10][11]
  2. To distress deeply, grieve: cet échec me désole.[9][10]
  3. To annoy, put out: ce contretemps me désole.[9][5]
  4. Se désoler: to be upset, lament.[1][9]
  5. (Je suis) désolé: (I'm) sorry.[3]

Word family

  • désolant
  • désolé

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 54a
  7. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Désoler.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/d%C3%A9soler. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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