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ourler

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Etymology and origin of the French word ourler

Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
First attested
c. 1160 Eneas More words from the 12th century
Inherited from
Latin *orulo via Old French
Ultimate origin
Latin ora

Pronunciation

Forms

ourler[1] Old French orler;[2][3] ourler from about 1260.[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French orler, inherited from Vulgar Latin *ōrulō (“to border”), formed from *ōrula (“edge of a garment”), a diminutive of Latin ōra (“edge, border”).[2][3][1][4] The Vulgar Latin verb is reconstructed from its Romance outcomes.[3] The Grand Robert derives it from Old French orle “edge (of a garment)”.[5] The verb is related to orée and orle.[6][5]

Cognate with Italian orlare, Occitan orlar, Spanish orlar and Portuguese orlar.[7][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Roman d'Eneas (about 1160) uses orler for edging a garment or cloth with a hem.[2]

Semantic evolution

Besides “to hem”, the verb meant “to give a border to”, especially in the past participle orlé de (1165), used of a shield bordered with stones.[2][3] The form ourler is found in Étienne Boileau's Livre des métiers (about 1260).[2][8] In literary style it means “to edge with a border” (1376), and the participle is often said of ears (oreilles ourlées, Balzac, 1844) and lips.[2][3] The verb gave ourlet (1304, orlet).[3][6] Littré records the mocking saying il n'y a que le bec à ourler, et c'est une cane, against people who think things are easy to do.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 1160 – Orler appears in the Roman d'Eneas.[2]
  • 1165 – Orlé de “bordered with” is used by Benoît de Sainte-Maure.[2]
  • c. 1260 – The form ourler appears in Étienne Boileau.[2]
  • 1304 – The derivative orlet, later ourlet, is recorded.[3]
  • 1376 – The figurative “to edge with a border” appears.[2][3]
  • 1844 – Balzac writes of oreilles ourlées.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To hem, to finish with a hem: ourler une nappe.[9][10]
  2. (literary) To edge with a border.[10][2]

Word family

  • ourlet
  • ourleur

References

  1. ^ a b c 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 g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 7, 423b
  5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Ourler.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/ourler. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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