Etymologically
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plaire

Etymology and origin of the French word plaire

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Inherited
First attested
c. 1050, Vie de saint Alexis
Inherited from
Old French plaire
Ultimate origin
Latin (placeō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /plɛʁ/[1]

Forms

plaire[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French plaire, a remaking of the Old French infinitive plaisir, which regularly continues Latin placēre (“to please”);[2][3][4][5] “plaisir”, used as an infinitive until the 13th century, became the noun plaisir.[2][6] The new infinitive was formed on the present “il plaît”, after verbs such as faire beside “il fait” and traire beside “il trait”,[2][3] or under the attraction of the future “je plairai”.[6][1] Another explanation, given by Littré and the TLFi, starts from a popular Latin form with a short “e”, “placĕre”, beside “placēre”.[4][7][3]

The origin of the Latin verb, like that of plācō (“to appease”), is obscure;[3][8] a link with plānus (“flat”) has been suggested but is not established.[3] Cognate with Italian piacere, Catalan plaure, Spanish placer, Portuguese prazer and Romanian plăcea.[8][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first known use is the old wish formula si Deu ploüst “if it had pleased God”, in the Vie de saint Alexis (about 1050).[4][3]

Semantic evolution

The formula was remade as pleüst a Dieu que (about 1165) and plaise à Dieu que (1636).[4][3] From the early 12th century the verb is used of a thing that suits someone, and about 1160 of a person who charms or attracts.[4][3] The polite formula s'il vous plaît “please” dates from 1155–1174,[3][4] while plaît-il ? “pardon?” (plest-il ?, about 1480) has gone out of fashion.[3] In Belgian French s'il vous plaît ? is used to ask someone to repeat.[3]

The reflexive se plaire meant “to be pleased with oneself” (Jean de Meun) and then “to take pleasure in” (1560);[4] of plants and animals it means “to thrive (somewhere)” (1690).[4][3] The present participle plaisant (about 1170) gave the family of plaisanter.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1050 – Si Deu ploüst in the Vie de saint Alexis.[4]
  • Early 12th century – Of things that please.[4]
  • c. 1160 – Of a charming person.[4]
  • 1155–1174 – S'il vus plaist in Wace.[4]
  • c. 1480 – Plest-il ?.[4]
  • 1560 – Se plaire à “to delight in”.[4]
  • 1690 – Of plants thriving.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. Plaire à: to please, be liked by; often rendered in English by “to like” with subject and object reversed: ce livre me plaît.[1][8]
  2. To attract, charm (sexually or romantically).[8][9]
  3. (impersonal) Il me plaît de: it pleases me to, s'il vous plaît: please.[7][3]
  4. Plaise à Dieu que, plût à Dieu que: would to God that.[3][4]
  5. (reflexive) To enjoy oneself, like it (somewhere); se plaire à: to delight in; of a plant, to thrive.[1][3]

Word family

  • complaire
  • déplaire
  • plaisance
  • plaisir
  • plaisanter
  • plaisanterie
  • plaisantin
  • plaisant

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 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
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 1a
  6. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Plaire.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/plaire. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·