300–201 BC

French words from Latin words first recorded in the 3rd century BC

288 French words inherited from a Latin word whose earliest known written record dates from the 3rd century BC, earliest Latin record first (page 3).

œuvre
235 BC–201 BC

from Latin opera

It is inherited from Old French uevre, inherited from Latin opera (“work, activity, effort”), the plural of opus (“work, product of work”) used as a feminine singular since Plautus. Rey relates the…
charme
234 BC–149 BC

from Latin carpinus

1. The tree name is inherited from Latin carpinus (“hornbeam”). Littré thought the standard form with /m/ was assimilated to the word for a magic spell, since dialects have forms closer to the…
épine
234 BC–149 BC

from Latin spina

It is inherited from Old French espine, inherited from Latin spīna (“thorn; thorny shrub; spine”), which also meant an animal's spine or prickle and, figuratively, a difficulty. Rey says the Latin…
car
220 BC–130 BC

from Latin quare

1. The conjunction is inherited from Old French car, inherited from Latin quārē (“why?; therefore”), literally “by which thing”, from quā and rē, the ablatives of quī and rēs (“thing”). Latin…
enfer
220 BC–130 BC

from Latin infernus

It is inherited from Ecclesiastical Latin īnfernus (“hell”), also īnfernum, the Christian Latin noun formed from the classical adjective īnfernus (“lower, of the regions below”), a doublet of…
aider
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin adiuto

It is inherited from Old French aidier, inherited from Latin adiūtō (“to help, assist”), the frequentative of adiuvō (“to help”). The Old French forms “aïer”, “aiue” were remade from adiūtat, the…
angle
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin angulus

It is inherited from Old French angle, inherited from Latin angulus (“corner; angle”). Bloch and Wartburg note that the Latin word is certainly popular only in Romanian unghi, and that Italian…
arbre
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin arbor

It is inherited from Latin arbor (“tree; mast”), from the accusative “arborem”, in popular Latin *arbrem. Rey calls the Latin word obscure, there being no common Indo-European word for “tree”; its…
art
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin ars

It is inherited from Latin ars (“skill; craft; method; cunning”) (accusative “artem”). The TLFi calls it a borrowing from Latin. Rey relates “ars” to Latin armus (“shoulder”) and Latin artus…
barbe
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin barba

It is inherited from Old French barbe, inherited from Latin barba (“beard”). The Latin word goes back to earlier *farba, Proto-Italic *farðā, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰardʰeh₂ (“beard”). Rey's…
beau
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin bellus

It is inherited from Old French bel, inherited from Latin bellus (“pretty, charming”). “Bellus”, a familiar diminutive of bonus (“good”) (old “duenos”), was used in classical Latin of women and…
bien
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin bene

It is inherited from Old French bien, inherited from Latin bene (“well”), the adverb corresponding to bonus (“good”) (whence bon), opposed like the French word to male (whence mal). In familiar…
bouche
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin bucca

It is inherited from Old French boche, inherited from Latin bucca (“puffed-out cheek, (plural) cheeks, jaws”). Popular Latin already used it for the mouth, as Cicero shows, and it replaced classical…
boule
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin bulla

It is inherited from Old French bole, inherited from Latin bulla (“bubble; knob, round object”), taken by word of mouth, while the learned bulle was borrowed later. Rey calls “bulla” an expressive…
bras
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin bracchium

It is inherited from Old French bras, inherited from Latin bracchium (“arm”), also written “brachium”, through a popular *bracium. The Latin word was borrowed from Ancient Greek βραχίων (brakhíōn…
bref
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin brevis

It is inherited from Old French brief, inherited from Latin brevis (“short, in space or time”). The ancients already compared the Latin word with Ancient Greek βραχύς (brakhús, “short”), but Rey…
casser
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin quasso

It is inherited from Old French quasser, inherited from Latin quassō (“to shake hard; to batter, break”), the frequentative of Latin quatiō (“to shake”), formed on its past participle “quassus”…
cent
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin centum

It is inherited from Latin centum (“hundred; a great number”). Wiktionary traces the Latin word through Proto-Italic to Proto-Indo-European *ḱm̥tóm. Rey cites its correspondents Sanskrit शत (śatám)…
chanson
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin cantio

It is inherited from Old French chançon, inherited from Latin cantiō (“song, singing”), an action noun corresponding to canō (“to sing”) (see chanter). The other Latin action noun, cantus, gave…
chaîne
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin catena

It is inherited from Old French chaiene, inherited from Latin catēna (“chain”), by the regular change of /k/ before /a/ to /tʃ/ and then /ʃ/, as in “chien” and “chose”, and the loss of /t/ between…
clé
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin clavis

It is inherited from Old French clef, inherited from Latin clāvis (“key; bolt, bar”). The Latin word is related to clāvus (“nail”) (see clou) and claudō (“to shut”) (see clore). Cognate with Italian…
coin
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin cuneus

It is inherited from Latin cuneus (“wedge for splitting wood”). In Latin it was already used of anything wedge-shaped, and in Medieval Latin (1099) of the die for striking coins. Rey calls it a…
compter
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin computo

It is inherited from Old French cunter, inherited from Latin computō (“to calculate, reckon; to include in a count”), from com- and putō (“to prune; to settle an account; to reckon, think”). In…
conduire
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin conduco

It is inherited from Latin condūcō (“to lead together, bring together”), formed from con- and dūcō (“to lead”); in popular Latin it took over the senses of the simple verb, “to draw, lead, guide”…
connaître
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin cognosco

It is inherited from Old French conoistre, inherited from Latin cognōscō (“to get to know; to recognize; to have carnal knowledge of”), which in part of the Romance area became “conoscere” under the…
convenir
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin convenio

It is inherited from Old French covenir, inherited from Latin conveniō (“to come together; to agree; to suit”), from com- and veniō (“to come”) (see venir). Bloch and Wartburg think the sense “to be…
coucher
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin colloco

It is inherited from Old French colcer, inherited from Latin collocō (“to place, set in position”), from com- and locō (“to place”). In Latin “collocāre” was already used of placing something…
coucou
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin cuculus

It is inherited from Old French cucu, inherited from Latin cucūlus (“cuckoo”), an expressive word imitating the bird's call, remade under the influence of that call: the second “k” was restored and…
couleur
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin color

It is inherited from Old French color, inherited from Latin color (“colour; complexion; outward appearance; specious argument”), from the accusative “colōrem”. Rey and the Petit Robert connect the…
couple
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin copula

It is inherited from Old French cuple, inherited from Latin cōpula (“bond, leash; pair”), which already meant “two persons united by friendship or love” and in imperial Latin “two things together”…
cours
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin cursus

It is inherited from Latin cursus (“running; journey, voyage; course of the stars, of a river, of life”), from currō (“to run”), the source of courir. Most of its French senses already existed in…
couvrir
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin cooperio

It is inherited from Old French covrir, inherited from Latin cooperiō (“to cover completely; to overwhelm”), formed with the intensive co- and operiō (“to cover”) (see ouvrir). The compound, with…
coûter
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin consto

It is inherited from Old French coster, inherited from Latin cōnstō (“to stand firm; to consist of; to cost”), formed with cum on stō (“to stand”). The sense “to cost” developed in Latin with an…
craie
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin creta

It is inherited from Old French croie, inherited from Latin crēta (“chalk; white clay”), a word of unknown origin, also the source of German Kreide. In Gallo-Romance it kept only the sense “chalk”…
cuir
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin corium

It is inherited from Old French quir, inherited from Latin corium (“skin, hide; leather”). Rey and the Petit Robert relate the Latin word to an Indo-European root meaning “to cut”, the skin being…
côte
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin costa

It is inherited from Old French coste, inherited from Latin costa (“rib; side, flank; ridge”). The senses “slope of a hill” and “seashore” are found in Romanian, Italian, Catalan, Spanish and…
dame
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin domina

It is inherited from Latin domina (“mistress of the house; wife; mistress; sovereign”), contracted to domna by the 1st century, the feminine of dominus (“master”), from domus (“house”). The vowel…
devoir
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin debeo

It is inherited from Old French deveir, inherited from Latin dēbeō (“to owe; ought, must”). The Latin verb is a compound of dē and habeō (“to have”) (whence avoir): it meant “to have something from…
don
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin donum

It is inherited from Old French don, inherited from Latin dōnum (“act of giving; gift, present, offering”). The Latin noun is derived from dō (“to give”), the source of date and datif. Littré…
douter
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin dubito

It is inherited from Latin dubitō (“to hesitate, waver, doubt; in Late Latin, to fear”), from dubius (“wavering, undecided”), from duo (“two”). Cognate with Spanish dudar, Portuguese duvidar…
doux
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin dulcis

It is inherited from Old French dulz, inherited from Latin dulcis (“sweet; pleasant, charming; dear”). Rey and the Petit Robert connect the Latin word with Ancient Greek γλυκύς (glukús, “sweet”)…
dur
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin durus

It is inherited from Latin dūrus (“hard to the touch; harsh; painful; unfeeling”), with the same range of senses. The origin of the Latin word is not established: a dissimilation of an older…
durer
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin duro

It is inherited from Latin dūrō (“to last; to endure; to harden”). The Grand Robert and Littré derive the Latin verb from dūrus (“hard”) (see dur); Rey and Bloch and Wartburg think that “dūrāre” “to…
entrer
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin intro

It is inherited from Old French entrer, inherited from Latin intrō (“to go into, enter”), from intrā (“within”), related to inter (“between”), whence entre. The Latin preposition goes back to…
espérer
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin spero

It is inherited from Old French esperer, inherited from Latin spērō (“to look forward to, expect; to hope”), derived from spēs (“expectation, hope”). The ⟨s⟩ and the treatment of the stressed vowel…
façon
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin factio

It is inherited from Old French façon, inherited from Latin factiō (“a making; manner of doing”), accusative “factiōnem”, from the supine of faciō (“to do, make”) (see faire). The learned borrowing…
femme
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin femina

It is inherited from Old French feme, inherited from Latin fēmina (“female; woman, wife”). “Fēmina” was originally a passive present participle meaning “she who is suckled, who gives suck”, from an…
ferme
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin firmus

1. The adjective is inherited from Latin firmus (“solid, firm; steadfast, reliable”). Rey calls “firmus” of obscure origin, Wiktionary and Littré relate it to an Indo-European root “*dʰer-” “to…
fil
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin filum

It is inherited from Latin fīlum (“thread, filament; edge of a blade; thread of a speech”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Romanian fir, Italian filo, Occitan fil, Spanish hilo and Portuguese fio.
foi
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin fides

It is inherited from Old French fei, inherited from Latin fidēs (“trust, confidence; good faith, loyalty; promise”), which in Christian Latin took the sense “faith in God”. The Latin word belongs…
fois
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin vicis

It is inherited from Old French feiz, inherited from Latin vicēs (“turns, successions”), the nominative and accusative plural of a defective noun meaning “turn, succession, alternation”, used in…
fond
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin fundus

It is inherited from Old French fonz, inherited from Latin fundus (“bottom; farm, estate”), through a popular neuter “*fundus, *fundoris”, which explains why Old French “fonz” was invariable like…
fou
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin follis

It is inherited from Old French fol, inherited from Latin follis (“bellows; inflated bag; ball”), which in Late Latin had come to mean “foolish, idiot”. The fool was likened in jest to a ball blown…
froid
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin frigidus

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”. The change of…
goûter
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin gusto

It is inherited from Old French goster, inherited from Latin gustō (“to taste; to have a snack”), from gustus (“taste”) (see goût). Bloch and Wartburg note that the sense “to have a light meal”…
grand
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin grandis

It is inherited from Old French grant, inherited from Latin grandis (“big, large; advanced in age, (of style) lofty”). “Grandis”, which has no known origin, was more common in spoken Latin than…
gueule
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin gula

It is inherited from Old French goule, inherited from Latin gula (“gullet, throat; palate, mouth; gluttony”). Rey connects “gula” with Indo-European roots “*gʷel-”, “*gʷer-” “to swallow”, probably…
heure
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin hora

It is inherited from Old French ore, inherited from Latin hōra (“hour; time; season”), borrowed from Ancient Greek ὥρα (hṓra, “season; time of day; the right moment”), which the Petit Robert relates…
honneur
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin honor

It is inherited from Old French honor, inherited from Latin honor (“honour paid to gods or men; public office”) (classical “honōs”), a word of obscure origin. Bloch and Wartburg call it a borrowing…
huile
205 BC–184 BC

from Latin oleum

It is inherited from Old French oile, inherited from Latin oleum (“olive oil; oil”), derived from olea (“olive; olive tree”), from Ancient Greek ἐλαία (elaía, “olive”); Rey makes “oleum” a Latin…

All French words inherited from Latin, by century →