Etymologically
Log in

quoi

Etymology and origin of the French word quoi

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Inherited
First attested
c. 1050, Vie de saint Alexis
Inherited from
Latin quis via Old French
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*kʷid)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French quoi
French pourquoi

Pronunciation

Forms

quoi n[1] Old French quei (1080), quoi (about 1175); written quoy by the Académie in 1694 and 1718.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French quei, inherited from Latin quid (“what”), the neuter of the interrogative, relative and indefinite pronoun “quis”; it is the stressed form beside unstressed que.[2][5][3][6] In Latin “quid” asked “what thing?”, was used as an oratorical transition, meant “something” after “si”, “nisi” and “ne”, and was used adverbially for “why?”.[2] Wiktionary traces it to Proto-Indo-European *kʷid; English what is a cognate.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1050, in the Vie de saint Alexis, as an interrogative pronoun after a preposition in direct speech.[4]

Semantic evolution

As a relative after a preposition quoi is found from 1174–76, with an antecedent that could still be a person in Old French.[4] I ot de quei “there was good reason for it” dates from about 1165, avoir de coi “to have the means” from 1176–81 and “to be well off” from 1260.[4] Il n'y a pas de quoi “don't mention it” is found in a letter of d'Alembert (1773).[4] At the head of a sentence it has expressed surprise or indignation since about 1180, now often as et quoi (1669) or mais quoi (1678).[2][4] Familiar speech uses it in place of que (about 1450).[2] pourquoi dates from about 1050.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 1050 – Interrogative quei in the Vie de saint Alexis.[4]
  • c. 1165 – I ot de quei “there was good reason”.[4]
  • c. 1175 – The form quoi.[2]
  • c. 1180 – Quoi as an exclamation.[4][2]
  • 1580 – Quoi qu'il en soit in Montaigne.[7]
  • 1773 – Il n'y a pas de quoi.[4]

Meanings

Pronoun

  1. what: interrogative, for things, after a preposition or (familiar) as object: à quoi penses-tu ?, tu fais quoi ?.[1][8]
  2. What, which: relative, after a preposition: ce à quoi je pense, après quoi, sans quoi.[7][8]
  3. De quoi + infinitive: enough to, the means to: avoir de quoi vivre.[1][7]
  4. Quoi que: whatever: quoi que tu fasses.[1][7]
  5. Il n'y a pas de quoi: don't mention it.[7][4]

Interjection

  1. What!: expresses surprise or indignation: quoi ! tu pars ?.[2]

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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  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. 2, 1467a
  6. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Derived terms

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Quoi.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/quoi. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·