Etymologically
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perdu

Etymology and origin of the French word perdu

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 980, Jonas fragment of Valenciennes
Ultimate origin
Latin (perdō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French perdre
French perdu

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /pɛʁ.dy/[1]

Forms

perdu (feminine perdue, masculine plural perdus, feminine plural perdues)[1]

Etymology

Used as an adjective and a noun, it is the past participle from French perdre (“to lose”).[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Jonas fragment of Valenciennes (about 980) it is said of a person whose life, physical or moral, is in danger.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Most senses follow those of the verb.[4] Of things, it meant “wasted, used to no purpose” about 1260 (peine perdue in the Ménestrel de Reims), and of goods “of which one is deprived for good” at the same time.[2][3] Froissart has chemins perdus for out-of-the-way roads in the late 14th century, the origin of un coin perdu.[2][4] In 1352 it meant “gone astray” and so “damned”, and Bossuet has brebis perdue for a Christian who has strayed (1683).[2]

Nicot records une femme perdue in 1606, and Racine has tout est perdu in 1673.[2] Madame de Sévigné has moments perdus for spare time (1671) and à fonds perdu for money placed in a life annuity (1688).[2] In the 18th century it came to mean “lost in thought” (before 1755) and “bewildered, at a loss” (1744).[2] The proverb un de perdu, dix de retrouvés is found in 1809.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 980 – Of a person in danger, in the Jonas fragment.[2]
  • c. 1260 – Peine perdue.[2][3]
  • 1352 – “Gone astray; damned”.[2]
  • Late 14th century – Chemins perdus, in Froissart.[2]
  • 1606 – Une femme perdue, in Nicot.[2]
  • 1671 – Moments perdus, in Madame de Sévigné.[2]
  • 1673 – Tout est perdu, in Racine.[2]
  • 1744 – “Bewildered”, in Duclos.[2]
  • 1809 – Un de perdu, dix de retrouvés.[5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Lost; no longer possessed: l'argent perdu au jeu, tout est perdu, there is no hope left.[4][6]
  2. Mislaid, gone astray: objets perdus, chien perdu.[4]
  3. (of a place) Remote, isolated: un coin perdu.[4]
  4. Wasted, spent to no purpose: peine perdue, à ses moments perdus (in one's spare time).[3][2]
  5. Beyond saving; doomed: un malade perdu.[2]
  6. Bewildered, at a loss; lost in thought: perdu dans ses pensées.[2]
  7. Balle perdue: a stray bullet.[3]

Noun

  1. Comme un perdu: like a madman: crier comme un perdu.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  6. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Perdu.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/perdu. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·