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direction

Etymology and origin of the French word direction

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1338, Guillaume de Digulleville
Borrowed from
Latin directio
Ultimate origin
Latin (regō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin rego
Latin surgo
French surgir
Latin regula
French règle
French régler
Latin regularis
English regular
Latin dirigo
French diriger
Latin directio
English direction
French direction
Latin regio
French région
Latin regionalis
English regional

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /di.ʁɛk.sjɔ̃/[1]

Forms

direction f (plural directions)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin dīrēctiō (“straight line, (late Latin) a directing”), from the supine “directum” of dīrigō (“to direct”) (see diriger), formed on regō (“to rule, guide”).[2][3][4][1][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Guillaume de Digulleville's Fleur de lis (1338) uses it for the action of directing or leading; the Grand Robert and the Petit Robert date it from 1327, the GLLF from Oresme (1372).[2][3][6][4]

Semantic evolution

Cotgrave (1611) gives “directive, instruction”, and Pascal mocked the casuists' direction d'intention (1656); before 1704 Bossuet uses it for the office of a spiritual director.[2][7] It became the post of director (1709, Lesage), the director's offices (1752), the services in his charge (1771) and the body of directors (1864).[2]

In the sciences it is a line of motion in astronomy and physics (1680), then, from 1757, any orientation, figuratively from 1770.[2] The motorist's direction, the steering gear, dates from 1907.[2]

Timeline

  • 1338 – “Directing”, Digulleville.[2]
  • 1611 – “Instruction”, Cotgrave.[2]
  • 1656 – Direction d'intention, Pascal.[2]
  • 1680 – A line of motion, Richelet.[2]
  • 1709 – The post of director, Lesage.[2]
  • 1757 – “Orientation”, Mirabeau.[2]
  • 1907 – Steering gear.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. management, leadership: la direction d'une entreprise, sous la direction de.[6][1]
  2. The post of director; the management, the directors as a body: la direction a décidé….[6][1]
  3. A department of an administration: direction des impôts.[2][1]
  4. A direction, way: dans la direction de Paris, changer de direction.[1][4]
  5. (figurative) A direction, tendency.[2][1]
  6. The steering of a vehicle: direction assistée.[2][1]
  7. Spiritual guidance: direction de conscience.[2][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 87a
  6. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Direction.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/direction. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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