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parfaire

Etymology and origin of the French word parfaire

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1119, Philippe de Thaon, Comput
Borrowed from
Latin perficio
Ultimate origin
Latin (faciō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin perficio
French parfaire

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /paʁ.fɛʁ/[1]

Forms

parfaire[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin perficiō (“to do thoroughly, finish, complete”), remodelled after faire.[2][3][4] The Latin verb is formed from per- (“through, thoroughly”) and faciō (“to do, make”).[3][5] Wiktionary and Littré analyse the verb as from French par- + faire.[1][6] Compare Old Occitan perfaire and Portuguese perfazer.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Philippe de Thaon's Comput (1119) it means to complete something, such as a reckoning or a sum.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The first sense, to make up a sum or an account, is now archaic, but survives in bookbinding, where it means to add the missing leaves to a book (1694).[3][2] Today it mainly means, like achever, to bring a process already under way to its end (Gaimar, about 1140), often with the idea of perfection.[3][2] By weakening it came to mean to improve (about 1360), and se parfaire to perfect oneself (about 1370).[3] The adjective parfait continues the Latin participle perfectus, remodelled after this verb.[3]

Timeline

  • 1119 – “To complete (a sum)”, in Philippe de Thaon.[2]
  • c. 1140 – “To finish”, in Gaimar.[2]
  • c. 1360 – “To improve”.[3]
  • 1443 – Oevre faicte et parfaicte.[2]
  • 1694 – The Académie: to complete a book with its missing leaves.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (literary) To finish so as to bring to perfection; to perfect: parfaire son ouvrage, parfaire ses connaissances.[7][1]
  2. (dated) To make up, complete (a sum, a payment).[2][1]
  3. (bookbinding) To complete (a book) with its missing leaves.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 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. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Parfaire.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/parfaire. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·