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pacifique

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Etymology and origin of the French word pacifique

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1462 charter confirming the ordinances of Mimizan More words from the 15th century
Borrowed from
Latin pacificus
Ultimate origin
Latin pācificus
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin pāx
Catalan pau
French paix
Italian pace
Romanian pace
Spanish paz
English pax
Latin pācificus
French pacifique
Romanian pacific
From the same root
French apaiser ← pāx
Latin pācificō ← pāx
Latin pācō ← pāx
French pacifisme ← pācificus
French pacifiste ← pācificus

Pronunciation

Forms

pacifique (plural pacifiques)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin pācificus (“peacemaking”), from pāx (“peace”), or, as the TLFi and Rey also allow, borrowed from Old Occitan pacific, which is attested in the 14th century in a legal sense.[2][3][1][4] The legal use of the first French records supports the Occitan route.[3] The Grand Robert notes an isolated 14th-century pacific in law, “who cannot be disturbed in his possession”.[5]

Cognate with Spanish pacífico and Italian pacifico.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1462 in possession pacifique, undisputed possession, in a charter confirming the customs of Mimizan in the Landes; in 1463 Louis XI called himself seigneur pacific of the county of Roussillon.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Most of its other senses arose between the 15th and the 17th century.[3] It described a person who longs for peace, calm (1496), and as a noun, from the Geneva Bible of 1546, one who loves peace and refrains from violence.[2][3] It was applied to a state (late 15th century) and to a place (1616) where peace reigns, and to a thing that brings peace (1523).[2][3]

The geographical name goes back to Magellan's voyage: in an account printed about 1525, Fabre calls the ocean crossed without a storm la mer pacifique;[2][3] Océan Pacifique is in the Encyclopédie in 1765.[2][3] The legal sense survives in possesseur pacifique, one whose title is not contested.[5][7]

Timeline

  • 1462 – Possession pacifique in a charter of Mimizan.[2]
  • 1463 – Louis XI styles himself seigneur pacific of Roussillon.[2][3]
  • 1496 – “Peace-loving, calm”, of a person.[2]
  • 1523 – Lefèvre d'Étaples uses it of what brings peace.[2]
  • c. 1525 – Mer pacifique in Fabre's account of Magellan's voyage.[2][3]
  • 1546 – Used as a noun for a peacemaker in a Geneva Bible.[2]
  • 1616 – D'Aubigné uses it of lands at peace.[2]
  • 1765 – Océan Pacifique in the Encyclopédie.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of people: who loves peace and seeks to keep it, peaceable.[7][2]
  2. (law) Possesseur pacifique: one whose possession or title is not disputed.[7][6]
  3. Of things: aimed at peace, peaceful: des intentions pacifiques.[7]
  4. Taking place calmly, without violence: coexistence pacifique.[7]

Word family

  • pacifiquement

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 n o 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, 460b
  5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Pacifique.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/pacifique. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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