Etymologically
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penchant

Etymology and origin of the French word penchant

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1532, Coutumier général
Ultimate origin
Latin (pendeō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French penchant
English penchant

Forms

penchant m (plural penchants)[1]

Etymology

It is the present participle of pencher “to lean”, used as an adjective and as a noun.[2][3][4] Pencher comes from Vulgar Latin *pendicō, derived from Latin pendeō (“to hang”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adjective is first recorded in 1532 in the Coutumier général, in mur penchant “leaning wall”.[6][3][7] As a noun it first meant, in Robert Estienne's dictionary of 1538, the slope of a hill or mountain.[6][4]

Semantic evolution

The concrete sense “slope, declivity” (1658) is now dated or literary, as in sur le penchant de la montagne.[4][7] The figurative sense, a natural inclination towards an object or an end, dates from the 1640s (1647 according to Rey, 1642 according to the Petit Robert and Bloch and Wartburg), and in the realm of feelings it came to mean a liking or love for someone (1673, Racine).[4][7][5][6] A classical sense, the decline of what can decrease (être sur son penchant), died out with the corresponding sense of the verb.[4][2] The adjective, “leaning” and figuratively “declining”, as in Corneille's état penchant, is now dated or literary.[6][2]

English took penchant “strong inclination” in the 1670s.[8]

Timeline

  • 1532 – Mur penchant “leaning wall” in the Coutumier général.[6][3]
  • 1538 – The noun is recorded for the slope of a hill.[4][7]
  • 1640 – Corneille uses the adjective for a tottering state.[6]
  • 1642–47 – The noun takes the sense “natural inclination”.[7][5][4]
  • 1673 – Racine uses it for a tender feeling for someone.[6][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A natural inclination or tendency: un penchant à la paresse, pour l'alcool;[7] mauvais penchants, vices.[7][9]
  2. (literary) A liking or affection for someone: avoir un penchant pour qqn.[7][9]
  3. (dated or literary) The slope of a hill or mountain.[7][2]

Adjective

  1. (dated or literary) Leaning, sloping.[2][6]
  2. (figurative, literary) Declining, on the wane.[2][6]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Penchant.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/penchant. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·