Etymologically
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régir

Etymology and origin of the French word régir

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1234
Ultimate origin
Latin (regō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁe.ʒiʁ/[1]

Forms

régir[1]

Etymology

It is an adaptation of Latin regō (“to direct, guide, rule”),[2][3][4][5] with a change of conjugation that drove out the Middle French form “reger”;[2][3] Wiktionary calls it semi-learned.[1] The Latin verb is related to Latin rēx (“king”) (see roi).[3][6]

Compare Spanish regir.[1] The same Latin verb lies behind régime, régent and région.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A charter of 1234 has it in the sense “to lead, govern, administer”.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

The senses “to govern” (Corneille's Montrez-lui comme il faut régir une province) and “to manage (property)” (1466) are now dated or obsolete.[3][4][7] The modern use goes back to the 16th century: “to subject (conduct) to rules” (Ronsard, about 1550), then with a law or principle as subject, “to determine” (Montaigne, 1580: the stars régissent our inclinations).[3][2][6] In grammar a word régit another from Marot (about 1530–1538: le terme qui va devant volontiers regist le suivant), whence régissant (Condillac); in the sciences it is said of laws governing a natural phenomenon (Taine, 1870).[2][3][6] The derivatives régie (16th century; in its modern administrative sense from 1670) and régisseur (1740) belong to the old sense “to manage”.[3][8]

Timeline

  • 1234 – “To govern”, in a charter.[2]
  • 1466 – “To manage (property)”.[3]
  • c. 1530 – A grammatical term, in Marot.[3]
  • 1580 – “To determine”, in Montaigne.[2]
  • 1670 – Régie “management”.[3]
  • 1740 – Régisseur.[8]
  • 1870 – Of natural laws, in Taine.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To govern, determine (of laws, rules): les lois qui régissent la société.[9][10]
  2. (grammar) To govern: cette conjonction régit le subjonctif.[9][6]
  3. (dated) To govern, rule (a state); to manage (property).[9][7]

Word family

  • régie
  • régisseur
  • régie
  • régisseur

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 10, 205b
  6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Régir.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/r%C3%A9gir. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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