Etymologically
Log in

promenade

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 22 October 2026 at 03:55. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • /pʁɔm.nad/[1]

Forms

promenade f (plural promenades)[1] First written pourmenade (1557); promenade from 1636 (Monet).[2][3]

Etymology

It is from French promener + -ade.[4][3][1][5] The first form pourmenade was formed on pourmener, the older form of promener.[4][2] That verb, Old French pourmener “to lead about” (about 1150), was formed from pour- and mener, and was reshaped after the many verbs beginning with ⟨pro-⟩ (1365).[4] The verb mener goes back to Vulgar Latin minō (“to drive (animals) with shouts”), from minor (“to threaten”).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Julyot's Élégies de la belle fille (1557) has pourmenade for the act of going for a walk.[4][2] The TLFi's first record of the present spelling is Hornkens' dictionary (1599), for a place where people walk.[4]

Semantic evolution

The word named both the act of walking for pleasure and the place laid out for it (1599); the act is recorded by Pomey in 1671.[4] Furetière (1690) records a short, easy journey, and Littré the military promenade, a march to train troops, and figuratively an easy campaign.[4][7] Its figurative use for something done without effort survives in une promenade de santé.[8][9] Later uses include the exercise of internal pupils (1868, Daudet) and of prisoners, and a figure in a pas de deux in ballet.[2][10]

English borrowed it in the 1560s for a leisurely walk, and used it for a place to walk from the 1640s and for a walkway by the sea from the late 18th century.[11]

Timeline

  • 1557 – Pourmenade in Julyot.[4]
  • 1560s – English borrows the word.[11]
  • 1599 – Hornkens records it for a place to walk.[4]
  • 1636 – Monet spells it promenade.[2]
  • 1671 – Pomey records the act of walking.[4]
  • 1690 – Furetière records a short, easy journey.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A walk or outing for pleasure, on foot, by car, on horseback or by boat: faire une promenade.[9][10]
  2. A place laid out for walking, a public walk or promenade: la promenade des Anglais, in Nice.[12][10]
  3. (figurative) An easy undertaking: une promenade de santé, promenade militaire, an easy campaign.[8][7]
  4. (ballet) In a pas de deux, a slow turn of the ballerina on point, supported by her partner as he walks round her.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  3. ^ a b 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 i j k 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. 6/2, 110a
  6. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b Académie française (1992–2024), Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, 9th ed., Paris: Académie française / Fayard / Imprimerie nationale
  9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  11. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  12. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)