Etymologically
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futur

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 13:54. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /fy.tyʁ/[1]

Forms

futur (feminine future, masculine plural futurs, feminine plural futures)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin futūrus (“about to be, future”), future participle of sum (“to be”), also used as a noun (“futurum” “the future”, and probably the grammatical tense).[2][3][4][5] Rey traces it, like the perfect fuī (“I was”), to the Indo-European root Proto-Indo-European *bhū- (“to grow”).[3][6]

It matches Old Occitan futur, Spanish futuro and Italian futuro.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The revised TLF dates the adjective from 1267, in Brunetto Latini: ces .iii. tens, c'est le preterit, le present, et celi ki est a venir… et atent les futures.[2] Earlier, futurs was occasionally used for people yet to come, as in a charter of 1219, tant aus presens qu'aus futurs.[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The noun “time to come, the future” is in Jean de Meun's Roman de la Rose (about 1275): se du futur n'est secorue.[2][3] As a grammatical term it is found in the late 12th century and clearly in a 14th-century Donatus;[2] futur simple and futur antérieur were established by Féraud (1787).[2]

Before a noun it means “who will be” (1651, Corneille), whence son futur, sa future “intended husband, wife” (1730, Marivaux).[8][2][3] La vie future is the life after death (18th century).[3][9] Since the 1960s futur has gained ground on avenir under the influence of English future, also borrowed in no future.[3]

Timeline

  • late 12th century – The grammatical future.[2]
  • 1219 – Les futurs, those to come.[2][3]
  • 1267 – The adjective, in Brunetto Latini.[2]
  • c. 1275 – Le futur “the future”, in the Roman de la Rose.[2]
  • 1651 – “Who will be”, in Corneille.[8]
  • 1730 – Son futur “her intended”, in Marivaux.[2]
  • 1787 – Futur simple, futur antérieur, in Féraud.[2]
  • 1909 – The noun futurisme is adapted from Italian.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Future, to come: les générations futures, (religion) la vie future, the afterlife.[9][1]
  2. (before the noun) Who will be such: sa future épouse, le futur Louis XIV.[9][8]

Noun

  1. The future, time to come (sometimes criticized for avenir).[1][3]
  2. (grammar) The future tense: futur simple, futur antérieur.[1][2]
  3. Le futur, la future: one's intended husband or wife.[9][2]

Word family

  • futurisme
  • futuriste
  • futurologie

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Steinfeld, Nadine; Buchi, Éva, eds. (2005–), TLF-Étym: révision des notices étymologiques du Trésor de la langue française informatisé, Nancy: ATILF
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 929a
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ a b c 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