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refaire

Etymology and origin of the French word refaire

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1112, Benedeit, Voyage de saint Brendan
Ultimate origin
Latin (facio)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin facio
English surfeit
French affaire
French faire
French refaire
French parfaire
Latin efficio
Latin effectus
English effect
French effet
Latin officium
English office
Latin facilis
French facile
Latin factus
Latin factor
Latin officio
French officier

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁə.fɛʁ/[1]

Forms

refaire[1]

Etymology

It is from French re- + faire.[2][3][1][4] faire continues Latin faciō (“to make, do”).[5][6]

It matches Picard erfoère (“to redo; to dupe”), Walloon rifé, Old Occitan refar, Catalan refer, Spanish rehacer and Italian rifare.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Voyage de saint Brendan (about 1112–1120) has être refait for being rested, restored to vigour;[2][4] Chrétien de Troyes uses se refaire in Erec (about 1170).[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Wace has it for making something be done again (1130–1140) and for repairing, restoring (1155); about 1160–1174 it meant “to do in turn”.[2] The 12th century also has it for rebuilding: refaire e pupler the kingdoms, le temple neteer e refaire.[7]

In slang it meant “to dupe” (1700) and “to rob” (about 1800); il est refait comme un Claude “he let himself be fooled like a simpleton” is from 1820–1840.[2] Among gamblers se refaire is to win back one's losses (before 1720, Mme du Noyer), and cela vous refera “that will set you up again” is in Casanova.[2][8] Modern phrases include refaire sa vie “to start a new life” and refaire surface “to resurface”.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 1112 – Être refait “to be restored”, in the Voyage de saint Brendan.[4][2]
  • 1130–1140 – “To have (something) done again”, in Wace.[2]
  • 1155 – “To repair, restore”, in Wace's Brut.[2]
  • c. 1170 – Se refaire, in Chrétien de Troyes.[2]
  • 1700 – Slang “to dupe”.[2]
  • before 1720 – Se refaire at gambling.[2][8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To redo, do again: refaire un pansement, refaire les mêmes erreurs.[9][1]
  2. To remake, do differently, recast: refaire entièrement un ouvrage.[9][1]
  3. To repair, renovate: refaire la toiture.[1][2]
  4. (reflexive) Se refaire: to recover one's strength, recuperate, (gambling) to win back one's losses.[1][2][8]
  5. (familiar) To dupe, cheat: être refait.[2][4]
  6. Refaire sa vie: to start a new life, refaire surface, to resurface.[1]

Word family

  • refait
  • réfection

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 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. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 347b
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Refaire.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/refaire. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·