Etymologically
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impression

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 14:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ɛ̃.pʁɛ.sjɔ̃/[1]
  • IPA: /ɛ̃.pʁe.sjɔ̃/[1]

Forms

impression f (plural impressions)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin impressiō (“a pressing into; impact, attack; impression on the mind”), from “impressum”, the supine of imprimō (“to press into, imprint”) (whence imprimer).[2][3][4][5][6] Bloch and Wartburg point to the philosophical Latin sense “impression on the senses”.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in a charter of 1259 from the Haute-Marne, for the mark left by a body pressed on a surface.[2][5][7]

Semantic evolution

Jean de Meun (1269–78) already uses it for the effect a cause produces in the mind; this sense lapsed and was taken up again in 1630 (Malherbe).[2][3] In 1359 it meant constraint, pressure exerted on someone, a sense now lost.[2][8] With the coming of printing it named the act of printing a book (1475), the printed product (1497) and an edition (1500), and later fabric printing (1723).[2][3]

In the 17th century it developed its modern psychological senses: faire impression (Rotrou, 1639), faire bonne, mauvaise impression (1669), and a vague, immediate perception of someone or something (Pascal).[2][3] Avoir l'impression de is in the Goncourts (1856).[2] The derivative impressionner (1741) gave in turn impressionniste (1874), coined mockingly by the critic Leroy after Monet's painting Impression.[4]

Timeline

  • 1259 – “Imprint”.[5]
  • 1269–78 – An effect on the mind, Jean de Meun.[2]
  • 1475 – The printing of books.[2]
  • 1588 – “Action of one body on another”, Montaigne.[2]
  • 1639 – Faire impression, Rotrou.[2]
  • 1723 – Fabric printing.[2]
  • 1741 – Impressionner.[4]
  • 1856 – Avoir l'impression de.[2]
  • 1874 – Impressionniste.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An impression, feeling: une impression de sécurité, avoir l'impression que.[9][1]
  2. A first impression, opinion: faire bonne impression, quelle est votre impression?[9][3]
  3. printing: l'impression d'un livre, impression sur tissu.[10][11]
  4. A print, printout.[1][3]
  5. (dated) An imprint, mark: l'impression des pas.[10][1]

Word family

  • impressionner
  • impressionnant
  • impressionnable
  • impressionnisme
  • impressionniste
  • empreindre
  • imprimer
  • imprimerie
  • imprimante
  • imprimable
  • empreinte
  • expression

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 602b
  7. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  11. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)