Etymologically
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quiconque

Etymology and origin of the French word quiconque

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
c. 1170, Quatre Livres des Rois

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ki.kɔ̃k/[1]

Forms

quiconque m or f (invariable)[1] Old French kiqunques, quiconques;[2][3] quiconque from 1250.[2][3]

Etymology

It comes from the Old French relative phrase qui qu’onques (“whoever ever”), from qui and onques “ever” (see onc).[2][4][5][1] It was later brought close to Latin quīcumque (“whoever”), written as one word and lost its final adverbial s.[2][4][5][1] Littré takes it straight from the Latin pronoun.[6] Compare Italian chiunque, a similar formation.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Quatre Livres des Rois (about 1170) have kiqunques eschaperad de la spée Azaël “whoever escapes the sword of Hazael”, in the sense “anyone who”.[2]

Semantic evolution

Benoît de Sainte-Maure has it about 1175, and the Livre des métiers (13th century) writes quiconques est esqueliers à Paris “whoever is a bowl-maker in Paris”.[2][6] Early in the 15th century, in the Quinze Joies de mariage, it meant “no matter who”.[2] The indefinite pronoun “anyone, anybody”, with no relative clause, is in Bourdaloue at the end of the 17th century, as in railler de quiconque.[2][7] It is usually masculine, but may be feminine when it clearly refers to a woman.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1170 – Kiqunques “whoever”, in the Quatre Livres des Rois.[2]
  • c. 1175 – In Benoît de Sainte-Maure.[2]
  • 1250 – The form quiconque.[3]
  • early 15th century – “No matter who”.[2]
  • late 17th century – Indefinite “anyone”, in Bourdaloue.[2]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. (relative) Whoever, anyone who: quiconque frappera par l'épée périra par l'épée.[7][3][1]
  2. (indefinite) Anyone, anybody: sans en faire part à quiconque, mieux que quiconque.[7][2]
  • qui
  • onques
  • Latin quīcumque

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Quiconque.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/quiconque. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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