Etymologically
Log in

quartier

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 14:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kaʁ.tje/[1]

Forms

quartier m (plural quartiers)[1]

Etymology

It is from French quart + -ier.[2][3][4][5][1] Medieval Latin had “quarterium” “a quarter of a town” (1117).[2] Littré derived it from Latin quartārius (“a quarter measure”), from quartus (“fourth”) (see quart).[6][7]

Compare Italian quartiere and Old Occitan cartier.[1][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the Chanson de Roland (about 1100) lur escuz de quarters are shields divided in quarters.[2]

Semantic evolution

The idea of a fourth part gave heraldic quarters (about 1225) and the quarters of noble descent (Boileau, 1665, quartiers de noblesse, 1718), a quarter of an ell (1229), three months' service at court (Froissart), a quarterly payment (mid-15th century) and the quarters of the moon (1539).[2]

The looser sense “part” gave a portion of land (about 1150), a piece of something (end of the 12th century) and of meat (early 14th century).[2] Troops' quarters are from about 1462, quartier d'hiver from 1668 and quartier général from 1713.[2] A quartier de sauveté (about 1470) was a place of safety for besieged troops, whence donner quartier “to spare a life” (mid-17th century) and pas de quartier.[2][5] A district of a town is in Coquillart (1480), and by metonymy its inhabitants in Boileau (1674).[2] Quartier libre is from 1938.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – Quarter of a shield, Chanson de Roland.[2]
  • c. 1150 – A portion of land.[2]
  • c. 1462 – Troops' quarters.[2]
  • 1480 – A district of a town, Coquillart.[2]
  • 1539 – Dernier quartier de la lune.[2]
  • mid-17th century – Donner quartier.[2]
  • 1713 – Quartier général.[2]
  • 1938 – Quartier libre.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A district, neighbourhood of a town: le Quartier latin, les gens du quartier.[1][2]
  2. (France, plural) Deprived, often suburban neighbourhoods: les quartiers.[1]
  3. A quarter, fourth part; a piece, segment: un quartier d'orange, un quartier de bœuf.[3][1]
  4. (astronomy) A quarter of the moon: premier quartier.[2][1]
  5. (military) Quarters, barracks: quartiers d'hiver, quartier général, headquarters, quartier libre, time off.[2]
  6. (dated) Mercy: pas de quartier !, faire quartier.[1][2]
  7. (heraldry, genealogy) A quarter: quartiers de noblesse.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 u v 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 1424a