Etymologically
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froid

Etymology and origin of the French word froid

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
First attested
c. 1100, Chanson de Roland (granz freiz)
Inherited from
Latin frigidus via Old French
Ultimate origin
Latin (frīgidus)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin frigidus
French froid

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /fʁwa/[1]
  • IPA: /fʁwɑ/[1]

Forms

froid (feminine froide, masculine plural froids, feminine plural froides)[1] Old French freit, feminine freide (late 11th century), froit, froide (12th century), froid from the 14th century.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French freit, inherited from Latin frīgidus (“cold, chilled; indifferent”), through Late Latin “frigdus” with a short “i”, recorded in the “Appendix Probi”.[4][2][5][6][1] The change of vowel has been explained by dissimilation or by the influence of rigidus (“stiff”).[5] “Frīgidus” is derived from frīgus (“cold”), related to Ancient Greek ῥῖγος (rhîgos, “frost”).[2][7] The learned frigide is a doublet.[1]

Compare Occitan freg, Catalan fred, Spanish frío, Portuguese frio and Italian freddo.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) as a plural noun, granz freiz “great cold spells”; the adjective appears in 1121 (freid leu “a cold place”).[4][5]

Semantic evolution

Figurative uses came early: froides noveles “sad news” (about 1150), and “unfeeling, apathetic” in Gautier de Coinci (about 1223).[4] The noun le froid is found in all the Gallo-Romance dialects, often as a feminine after chaleur.[5] In Quebec the adjective also means “chilled”, as in une bière froide.[2] Phrases include à froid “cold, without heating”, prendre froid “to catch cold”, jeter un froid and garder la tête froide.[2][1] Derivatives include froidure, froideur and refroidir (12th century).[5]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Granz freiz in the Chanson de Roland.[4]
  • 1121 – Freid leu, in the Voyage de saint Brendan.[4]
  • c. 1150 – Froides noveles “sad news”.[4]
  • 12th century – Froidure, froideur, refroidir.[5]
  • c. 1223 – “Unfeeling”, in Gautier de Coinci.[4]
  • 14th century – The spelling froid.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. cold: de l'eau froide, il fait froid.[1][8]
  2. Cold, distant, unfriendly: un accueil froid.[1]
  3. Calm, unemotional: garder la tête froide.[4][2]
  4. (Quebec) Chilled: une bière froide.[2]

Noun

  1. The cold; cold weather: les grands froids, avoir froid: to be cold.[4][1]
  2. A chill: prendre froid.[1]
  3. Coolness between people: jeter un froid, être en froid avec.[1]

Word family

  • froideur
  • froidir
  • froidure
  • refroidir
  • refroidissement

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 g h i 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 797b
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Froid.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/froid. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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