Etymologically
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réparer

Etymology and origin of the French word réparer

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1130, Eneas
Borrowed from
Latin reparo
Ultimate origin
Latin (parō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin reparo
French réparer

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁe.pa.ʁe/[1]

Forms

réparer[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin reparō (“to prepare again; to restore, renew”), from re- with iterative force and parō (“to prepare”) (see parer).[2][3][4][5][6] Réparation (1310) and réparateur (1350) were borrowed from the Late Latin derivatives reparātiō and reparātor.[7][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Eneas (about 1130–1160) has reparer le fosset “to repair the ditch”, and Wace has fossé reparé;[2][3][5] Benoît de Sainte-Maure writes of repairing walls about 1175.[2][3][5]

Semantic evolution

Chrétien de Troyes uses it in the Chevalier de la charrette (1176–1181) for restoring a person to health and strength, and Pomey has réparer ses forces in 1671.[2][3] The Roman de la Rose (1269–1278) speaks of restoring one's lineage, and about 1350 Gilles li Muisis of Christ's restoring mankind to its first dignity.[2][3]

The sense “to make up for (a wrong or its consequences)” is found in 1346, and Robert Estienne records réparer un dommage and réparer une injure in 1538.[2][3] Réparer son honneur is in Nicot (1606), and about 1690 réparer l'honneur of a seduced woman meant to marry her.[2][3]

Timeline

  • c. 1130–1160 – Reparer le fosset, in Eneas.[2][5]
  • c. 1175 – Repairing walls, in Benoît de Sainte-Maure.[2]
  • 1176–1181 – Restoring a person, in Chrétien de Troyes.[2]
  • 1310 – The noun réparation.[7]
  • 1346 – “To make up for (a wrong)”.[2]
  • 1538 – Réparer un dommage, in Robert Estienne.[2]
  • 1654 – Réparer une brèche.[2]
  • 1671 – Réparer ses forces, in Pomey.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To repair, mend, fix: réparer une montre, réparer une voiture.[8][9]
  2. To make good (damage): réparer une brèche, réparer un accroc.[8]
  3. To make up for, redress (a wrong, a mistake): réparer un oubli.[8][5]
  4. Réparer ses forces: to recover one's strength.[8][9]

Word family

  • réparable
  • irréparable
  • réparage
  • réparation
  • réparateur
  • parer
  • Latin reparō

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 10, 259b
  7. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Réparer.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/r%C3%A9parer. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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