Etymologically
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proche

Etymology and origin of the French word proche

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Back-formation
First attested
1259 (procement)
Ultimate origin
Latin (prope)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /pʁɔʃ/[1]

Forms

proche (plural proches)[1]

Etymology

It is a back-formation from prochain, from Vulgar Latin *propiānus, from Latin prope (“near”).[2][3][4][5][6] It replaced the Old French adverb “pruef”, “prof” “near”, from Latin “prope”.[4][3] Littré derived it from Latin propius (“nearer”).[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adverb prochet “quite near” is found about 1210 and prochement in 1259; the word was rare before the 16th century.[2][3][4] In Hugues Capet (1330) it is used of close kinship: ly plus proche de men estracïon.[2]

Semantic evolution

Robert Estienne (1549) has proche parent, and Montaigne (1580) les proches, one's close relatives, and proche of close friends.[2] In space it was first a preposition, proche de (1552) and proche alone (proche la porte Saint-Bernard, La Rochefoucauld, 1652), now dated or regional, then an adjective (1587) and an adverb (1662); de proche en proche “step by step” is in La Fontaine (1679).[2][8] In time it is recorded by Monet (1636).[2] In Canada and Louisiana proche de still means “near”, and passer proche de “to nearly (do something)”.[8]

Timeline

  • 1259 – The adverb prochement.[2]
  • 1330 – Of close kinship, Hugues Capet.[2]
  • 1580 – Les proches, Montaigne.[2]
  • 1587 – Adjective proche de, La Noue.[2]
  • 1636 – Near in time, Monet.[2]
  • 1679 – De proche en proche, La Fontaine.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. near, close (in space): la ville la plus proche, proche de la gare.[1][5]
  2. Near, imminent (in time): dans un avenir proche, la fin est proche.[1][8]
  3. Close (by kinship, friendship or likeness): un proche parent, des opinions proches.[2][5]
  4. Le Proche-Orient: the Near East.[8]

Noun

  1. (usually plural) A close relative, loved one: ses proches.[1][2]

Adverb

  1. De proche en proche: step by step, gradually.[8][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 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 450b
  7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Proche.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/proche. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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