Etymologically
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finalement

Etymology and origin of the French word finalement

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1280, Clef d'amors
Ultimate origin
Latin (finis)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /fi.nal.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

finalement[1] Finalment (about 1280); finalement from the 16th century.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French final + -ment.[3][4][2] final (1174–1178) is borrowed from Late Latin fīnālis (“at the end”), from fīnis (“end”).[3][5] Old French had also finablement (“definitively”) (about 1185), formed on fin, which lasted into the 16th century.[3][6]

Compare Old Occitan finalment, Spanish finalmente and Italian finalmente.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Clef d'amors (about 1280) has finalment “in the end, all things considered”.[3][2]

Semantic evolution

The sense “at the end, at last” is in Bersuire's translation of Livy (about 1355): Finalment lui et aucuns autres avoient esté mors.[2][6] Marot writes Finalement croi la vie eternelle in the 16th century, when the modern spelling became established.[6][2] The Académie has recorded it since 1694.[3]

Timeline

  • 1174–1178 – The adjective final.[3]
  • c. 1185 – Old French finablement.[3]
  • c. 1280 – Finalment in the Clef d'amors.[3]
  • c. 1355 – “At last”, in Bersuire.[2]
  • 1694 – Recorded by the Académie.[3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Finally, in the end, at last: Ils se sont finalement réconciliés.[7][1]
  2. Lastly, to end a list.[3][1]
  3. All things considered, ultimately, after all.[2][7][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Finalement.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/finalement. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·