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rapprocher

Etymology and origin of the French word rapprocher

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1268
Ultimate origin
Latin (prope)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French approcher
French rapprocher

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁa.pʁɔ.ʃe/[1]

Forms

rapprocher[1] Old French raprochier (1268); rapprocher from the early 14th century.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from French re- + approcher.[3][1][4][2] The verb approcher continues Late Latin appropiō, used by Church writers, derived from prope (“near”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In a memorandum of 1268 the Count of Bar wants plus raprochier Linei de la signorie de Bar: to bring persons or things closer to each other.[6][2]

Semantic evolution

The pronominal se rapprocher, to come closer, dates from 1330, and in Furetière (1690) also means to move to live nearer.[6] Furetière also records the sense of making something look closer, as of a telescope.[6] Figuratively it was used for bringing distances closer (Beaumarchais, 1775), as the railway does for Delacroix (1854), and for bringing something nearer in time (1795).[6]

From 1682 (Madame de Sévigné) it meant to bring people to friendlier feelings, to reconcile, and, from 1688 (Bossuet) to bring together things for comparison.[6][2] The noun rapprochement dates from the 15th century.[5]

Timeline

  • 1268 – Raprochier in a memorandum of the Count of Bar.[6]
  • 1330 – Se rapprocher.[6]
  • 1682 – Madame de Sévigné: to reconcile.[6][2]
  • 1688 – Bossuet: to compare.[2]
  • 1690 – Furetière: to make look closer.[6]
  • 1775 – Beaumarchais: rapprocher les distances.[6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To bring or move closer: rapprochez votre siège, rapprocher deux objets l'un de l'autre.[7][1]
  2. To make (something) seem nearer; to make (a distance) quicker to cover: l'avion rapproche les distances.[7]
  3. To bring nearer in time.[6][7]
  4. To bring (people) closer together, reconcile.[7][1]
  5. To compare, bring together (ideas, facts).[7][2]
  6. Se rapprocher: to come closer; to move nearer; to be similar.[1][7]

Word family

  • rapprochement

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ a b c d e f Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Rapprocher.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/rapprocher. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·