Etymologically
Log in

danser

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 08:16. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /dɑ̃.se/[1]

Forms

danser[1] Old French dancier, dancer (about 1170); danser from the 13th century.[2][3]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.[4][5][6] Because it is a word of the langue d'oïl, used for elegant and stately dances as opposed to the descendants of Late Latin ballāre (whence bal), it is probably Germanic.[4][5][7] Bloch and Wartburg, the FEW and the GLLF propose Frankish *dintjan (“to move to and fro”), reconstructed from Dutch “deinzen”, Frisian “dintje” and Icelandic “dynta”, but the “a” of all the French forms is against it.[7][4][8][3] A Frankish “*dansôn”, from Old High German “dansôn” “to draw”, poses problems of form and sense, V. Günther suggested an early doublet “*dansjan”.[4][5] Pierre Guiraud proposed instead a popular Latin “*deantiare” “to move forward”, a doublet of the source of avancer.[2][6]

From northern France the word spread to Italian danzare, Spanish danzar, German tanzen and English dance.[5][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Chrétien de Troyes (about 1170, Erec) uses it for performing a series of steps in time with music.[4][5][3]

Semantic evolution

Robert de Houdenc (1200–20) uses it of things that move in rhythm, and later it is said of flames and light.[4][3] It ousted the older Old French baller.[1] The noun danse is from the 12th century, and danseur from Charles d'Orléans.[7][5] Familiar extensions stress rough treatment: la danser “to get a beating” (1691), faire danser quelqu'un (1640).[9][3] Ne savoir sur quel pied danser is found in 1610, and danser devant le buffet “to go hungry” and faire danser l'anse du panier “to fiddle the shopping money” are 19th-century.[9][3]

Timeline

  • c. 1170 – Dancier, Chrétien de Troyes.[4]
  • 12th century – Danse.[7]
  • 1200–20 – Of things, Robert de Houdenc.[4]
  • 15th century – Danseur, Charles d'Orléans.[7]
  • 1610 – Ne savoir sur quel pied danser.[9]
  • 1691 – La danser “to get a beating”.[9]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To dance: apprendre à danser, danser la valse, faire danser quelqu'un.[6][1]
  2. Of things, to move rhythmically, flicker, bob: la flamme danse.[3][10]
  3. Ne pas savoir sur quel pied danser: not to know what to do.[10][9]
  4. Danser devant le buffet: to have nothing to eat.[3]

Word family

  • danse
  • danseur
  • dansant
  • dansoter

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ 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
  5. ^ a b c d e f Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b c d e f Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  8. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 15/2, 61a
  9. ^ a b c d e Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)