réellement

Forms

réellement^[1] Old French reelment and relment (about 1170), relement, reaument (1310), Middle French realment (1353) and reallement (15th century), the modern spelling being fixed by 1611.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is formed from French réel + -ment.^[3][1][5] The adjective is from Late Latin reālis (“real, actual”).^[3] Rey takes the early forms of the adverb as evidence that the adjective was in use long before its first record in 1283.^[2][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as reelment in the Livre des Rois (about 1170), meaning “actually, in fact”: E la parole Deu reelment fud oïe (“And the word of God was really heard”).^[4][7][2]

Semantic evolution

The adverb has kept its first sense of “in reality, actually”, opposed to what is apparent or feigned.^[3][8] In law, saisir réellement meant to seize real property by authority of a court (Richelet, 1680).^[3][2][4] Bloch and Wartburg note that it became especially popular in the sense “truly”, and Littré that it is also used simply to strengthen a statement.^[6][7]

Timeline

• c. 1170 – Reelment appears in the Livre des Rois.^[4][7]
• 1310 – Reaument in the Roman de Fauvel.^[3]
• 1353 – Realment is recorded.^[3]
• 1588 – Montaigne writes reellement.^[3]
• 1611 – Cotgrave has the modern form réellement.^[4][2]
• 1680 – Richelet records saisir réellement in law.^[3][4]

Meanings

Adverb

1. In fact, in reality, actually: il est réellement parti à l'étranger.^[8][3]
2. Used to strengthen a statement: truly, really: ce film est réellement drôle.^[7][1]
3. (law, historical) Saisir réellement: to seize real property by court order.^[4][3]

Related words

• réel
• réalité
• irréellement
• Late Latin reālis

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
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 Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert