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nerveux

Etymology and origin of the French word nerveux

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1256, Aldebrandin of Siena
Borrowed from
Latin nervosus
Ultimate origin
Latin (nervus)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin nervosus
English nervous
French nerveux

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /nɛʁ.vø/[1]

Forms

nerveux (feminine nerveuse, masculine plural nerveux, feminine plural nerveuses)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin nervōsus (“sinewy, muscular; vigorous”), from nervus (“sinew”) (see nerf).[2][3][4][1] The Grand Robert and the Petit Robert describe it as a learned derivative of the French noun modelled on the Latin word.[5][6] Its senses developed in parallel with those of the noun.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the 13th century it meant “made mainly of tendons”: Aldebrandin of Siena (1256) says that one whose neck is thick, strong and bien nerveux is quick to anger.[2][4][7]

Semantic evolution

Following the old anatomy that did not distinguish nerves from tendons, it meant “sinewy, muscular”: Garnier (1573) has it of muscles standing out under the skin, and of a strong, vigorous person (1574).[2][7] Du Bellay (1549) uses it figuratively of vigorous verse, the origin of style nerveux.[2][6]

With the modern notion of the nerves it came to mean “relating to the nerves” (fibres nerveuses, 1678) and système nerveux (1754).[2] In 1789 it was said of a person dominated by irritable nerves, and Maine de Biran (1816) speaks of a état nerveux; from these come the common senses “nervous, anxious” and “excitable”.[2][4] A car with good acceleration is called nerveuse.[6]

Timeline

  • 1256 – Aldebrandin of Siena.[4][5]
  • 1549 – Of vigorous verse, in Du Bellay.[2]
  • 1573 – Of muscles standing out, in Garnier.[2]
  • 1678 – Fibres nerveuses, in Lamy.[2]
  • 1754 – Système nerveux.[2]
  • 1789 – Of a person with irritable nerves.[2]
  • 1816 – État nerveux, in Maine de Biran.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Relating to the nerves: cellule nerveuse, système nerveux, dépression nerveuse.[6][4]
  2. Nervous, edgy, easily excited or irritated.[1][4]
  3. Sinewy, with strong, visible tendons: des mains nerveuses; of meat, stringy.[6][8]
  4. Vigorous, full of energy; of a car, responsive; of a style, terse and forceful.[6][8]

Noun

  1. A nervous, excitable person.[9][6]

Word family

  • nerveusement
  • nervosisme
  • nervosité

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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 Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
  9. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Nerveux.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/nerveux. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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