Etymologically
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réunir

Etymology and origin of the French word réunir

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1400, reaunir

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁe.y.niʁ/[1]

Forms

réunir[1] Raunir (1365), reaunir (about 1400); réunir from about 1460 (Georges Chastellain); the Académie wrote reunir in 1694.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is formed from unir (“to unite”) with the prefix ré-,[2][3][4][1][5] the verb being borrowed from Latin ūniō (“to unite”).[6] The Middle French spelling “raunir” was influenced by learned borrowings from Latin adūnō (“to gather”), such as “auner” and “adunir”.[2] Compare Italian riunire.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It appears as raunir in 1365 and reaunir about 1400; an ordinance of 1475 has réunir for joining separate parts or annexing a territory, and Georges Chastellain (about 1460–1475) uses it for “to reconcile”.[2][3][4]

Semantic evolution

In feudal law réunir was to join a fief again to the crown, and La Noue (1587) speaks of reuniting the wills of men.[7][4] From the 17th century it came to mean “to put together to form a whole” (1663, Boileau, 1671), and, from 1740 “to combine” (réunir toutes les qualités).[3][8][4] In the 19th century it was used of bringing people together and calling a meeting (réunir le conseil), and the reflexive se réunir “to meet” is now its most common use.[4][1] The noun réunion dates from 1468.[6]

Timeline

  • 1365 – Raunir.[2]
  • c. 1400 – Reaunir.[3]
  • c. 1460 – Réunir in Georges Chastellain.[3]
  • 1468 – Réunion.[6]
  • 1475 – “To annex”, in an ordinance.[2]
  • 1587 – Of people, in La Noue.[4]
  • 1663 – “To put together into a whole”.[8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To bring together, gather: réunir des amis, réunir des documents.[1][8]
  2. To join, connect: réunir les deux bords d'une plaie, un pont qui réunit les deux rives.[4][2]
  3. To combine, unite: réunir toutes les conditions; to annex (a province).[8][4]
  4. To convene (an assembly): réunir le conseil.[4]
  5. (reflexive) To meet, come together: le comité se réunit le lundi.[1][8]

Word family

  • réunion

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f 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 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 Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 47b
  6. ^ a b c Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Réunir.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/r%C3%A9unir. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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