Etymologically
Log in

dont

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 05:11. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /dɔ̃/[1]
  • IPA: /dɔ̃.t‿/[1]

Forms

dont m or f[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French dunt, inherited from Vulgar Latin dē unde (“from where”), a strengthening of Latin unde (“whence, from where”) with the preposition dē (“from”).[2][3][4][1][5] Already in classical Latin “unde” could serve as a relative pronoun, equivalent to “from, out of, about which”, and this use spread in Late Latin, preparing the role of “dont” in French.[4][2] Old French also used “dont” as an interrogative, “whence?” (“Sire niés, dont venez ?”, about 1119).[4] The simple “unde” gave Old French ont and survives in many dialects, especially in the south.[6][7]

Rey explains “unde” as originally “*cunde”, one of the Latin relatives and interrogatives that lost the initial /kʷ/ before /u/.[2] Cognate with Italian donde (“whence”), Spanish donde (“where”) and Portuguese donde.[6][8][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Séquence de sainte Eulalie (late 9th century): Il li enortet, dont lei nonque chielt, qued elle fuiet lo nom christiien “he urges her, a thing she does not care about, to flee the Christian name”.[4][8]

Semantic evolution

Its modern use was not yet fixed in the classical period: dont was almost confused with d'où, even in pronunciation, a use that Malherbe, Vaugelas and the grammarians condemned but that the best 17th-century writers kept, and that modern writers still use with verbs taking de.[2] It also expressed means, manner or cause where modern French says avec lequel, à cause duquel, par lequel, and could introduce a consequence (“because of which”).[2] Classical French could repeat it with en inside the relative clause, now considered incorrect, and give it a whole clause as antecedent without ce.[2]

Timeline

  • Late 9th century – Dont in the Séquence de sainte Eulalie.[4]
  • c. 1100 – Dunt in the Chanson de Roland: Le blanc haubert dunt la maille est menue.[8]
  • c. 1119 – Interrogative dont “whence” in Philippe de Thaon.[4]
  • 17th century – Malherbe and Vaugelas condemn dont in the sense “from where”.[2]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. Of which, of whom, whose, as complement of a noun: une plante dont j'ai oublié le nom.[9][10]
  2. As complement of a verb or adjective construed with de: le détail dont il se souvient, une voiture dont je suis content.[9][11]
  3. From which, out of which, marking origin: la chambre dont je sors, la famille dont il sortait.[10][12]
  4. In which, with which, of manner: la manière dont elle est habillée.[10]
  5. Among whom, among which, including: des touristes dont beaucoup sont étrangers.[9][1]

Usage notes

Dont cannot be the complement of a noun that is itself preceded by a preposition: one says l'homme au sort duquel je m'intéresse, not l'homme dont je m'intéresse au sort.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f 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. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 32b
  6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  8. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  10. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  11. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  12. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)