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gélatine

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Etymology and origin of the French word gélatine

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1611 Cotgrave More words from the 17th century
Borrowed from
Italian gelatina
Ultimate origin
Latin gelō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French gélatine
English gelatin
From the same root
English gel ← gelatin

Pronunciation

  • /ʒe.la.tin/[1]

Forms

gélatine f (plural gélatines)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian gelatina (“edible jelly”), recorded in Italian from the second half of the 13th century.[2][3][4] The Italian word is derived from gelare (“to freeze”), from Latin gelō (“to freeze”), the source of geler.[2][3][5] Littré explains the name by comparing the way the substance sets to freezing.[6] The TLFi and the Grand Robert compare galantine.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cotgrave records it in 1611 for an edible jelly.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

Unlike the older gelée, gélatine lost ground as the name of an edible jelly, probably because its derivative gélatineux took on a rather unfavourable tone.[3] It became the name of the substance extracted from bones and other animal tissues, used in cooking, pharmacy and photography.[5][2] From 1888 it also named an explosive of jelly-like appearance.[3][5] English took gelatine from French in 1713.[7]

Timeline

  • 13th century – Italian gelatina is recorded.[2][3]
  • 1611 – Cotgrave records gélatine.[2]
  • 1713 – English borrows gelatine.[7]
  • 1743 – The adjective gélatineux appears.[3]
  • 1888 – It names an explosive substance.[3][5]
  • 1909 – Gélule is formed from gélatine.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Gelatin, a protein substance obtained from the collagen of animal tissues boiled for a long time, used in cooking, pharmacy, photography and glue-making: des feuilles de gélatine.[8][2]
  2. Gélatine explosive: an explosive of jelly-like appearance.[5]

Word family

  • gélatineux
  • gélatiniser
  • gélatiner
  • gélule

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h 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 d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  8. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Gélatine.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/g%C3%A9latine. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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