file

Forms

file f (plural files)^[1] Middle French fille, in à fille and a la fille.^[2]

Etymology

It is a deverbal noun from French filer (“to spin, to run out in a line”).^[2][3][4][5] Littré and Wiktionary also connect it with fil (“thread”).^[6][1] The verb continues Late Latin fīlō (“to spin”), from fīlum (“thread”).^[5][7]

Compare Italian fila, Spanish fila and Occitan fila.^[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found before 1464 in Jean Chartier's chronicle of Charles VII, in the phrase à fille “one behind the other”.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

From the start the word meant a line of people or things one behind the other.^[4][2] In the mid-16th century it was used of a line of soldiers ranged one behind the other, as opposed to a rank.^[4][8] The phrases à la file (before 1527, a la fille) and en file (before 1695), especially en file indienne, followed, and in the 20th century en double file for cars (about 1950).^[4][2]

From file come défiler² “to march in file” (1648) and défilé, first a narrow pass (1643).^[4] In Belgium, Switzerland and Canada faire la file means to queue.^[9][10]

Timeline

• before 1464 – À fille in Jean Chartier.^[2]
• before 1527 – A la fille in Jean d'Auton.^[2]
• mid-16th century – Used of a file of soldiers.^[4]
• 1580 – À la file in Montaigne.^[11]
• 1648 – The derivative défiler “march in file” appears.^[4]
• c. 1950 – En double file is said of parked cars.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A line or file of people or things placed one behind the other: une file de camions.^[9][10][1]
2. A queue of people waiting: file d'attente, prendre la file.^[9][3]
3. (military) A line of soldiers standing one behind another.^[6][8]
4. À la file, en file, en file indienne: one behind the other, in single file.^[10][4]
5. En double file: of a car, parked alongside cars already parked by the kerb.^[10]
6. (Belgium, Switzerland, Canada) Faire la file: to queue; also (Belgium) a traffic jam.^[9][10][1]
7. Chef de file: the leader of a group or movement.^[1]

Word family

• à la file
• chef de file
• file d'attente
• file indienne
• défiler²
• défilé

Related words

• filer
• fil
• enfiler
• Latin fīlum

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
8. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
9. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
10. ^ a b c d e Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
11. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF