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pédicure

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Etymology and origin of the French word pédicure

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
1781 Laforest, L'Art de soigner les pieds More words from the 18th century
Ultimate origin
Latin pēs,cūra

Forms

pédicure m or f by sense (plural pédicures)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French pédi- + -cure, the elements of pēs (“foot”) (genitive pedis) and cūrō (“to take care of”).[2][3][4][5] Bloch and Wartburg and Wiktionary describe it as a compound of the Latin words themselves, the noun for foot and Latin cūra (“care”).[6][1][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1781 in the title Chirurgien-pédicure, l'Art de soigner les pieds by Laforest, for someone who treats the feet.[2][5][3]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its first sense, a person whose profession is treating the skin and nails of the feet.[3][8] Littré still describes the pédicure as one who removes corns and calluses, and records an adjectival use, chirurgien pédicure.[7] The verb pédicurer and the noun pédicurage were formed from it at the end of the 19th century, and pédicurie in the 20th.[3]

English took pedicure from the French word in 1839.[9]

Timeline

  • 1781 – Laforest's Chirurgien-pédicure is published.[2][6]
  • 1839 – English borrows it as pedicure.[9]
  • late 19th century – Pédicurer and pédicurage appear.[3]
  • 20th century – Pédicurie appears.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A chiropodist or podiatrist, a person who treats the skin and nail complaints of the feet, such as corns and calluses.[8][5][1]

Word family

  • pédicurie
  • pédicurer

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Pédicure.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/p%C3%A9dicure. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·