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relation

Etymology and origin of the French word relation

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1220, Gautier de Coinci (faire relation)
Borrowed from
Latin relatio
Ultimate origin
Latin (referō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin relatio
English relation
English relationship
French relation

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁə.la.sjɔ̃/[1]

Forms

relation f (plural relations)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin relātiō (“a report, account; a relation, connection”),[2][3][4][5][6] the noun formed on relātum, the supine of referō (“to carry back, report”) (see référer, relater).[3][7][8] From the 1st century the Latin noun had the legal value “testimony, report” and the logical one “link between two things”.[3] Bloch and Wartburg treat the narrative and the philosophical senses as two borrowings.[4] Anglo-Norman relacion is recorded about 1136–65.[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gautier de Coinci (about 1220) has faire relatïon “to report, relate”.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In law it meant a report or testimony (1284), and, from 1602, with the Jesuit letters of Luís Fróis, the narrative of a traveller's distant expedition, Furetière's terme de relation (1690) is a native word brought back by a traveller.[2][10] The sense “link, connection” is in Brunetto Latini (about 1265), and a general reciprocal relation is recorded in 1338.[2][3] Avoir relation à (Montaigne, 1588) gave way to être en relation avec (1718).[3][7]

Applied to people it named ties of dependence and communication (Pascal, 1657, Fléchier, 1677), then avoir des relations (Montesquieu, 1721), relations sociales (Rousseau, 1755) and, in the plural, one's acquaintances (1813).[2][3] From the 19th century relations are also official dealings between states (1835) and, elliptically, sexual relations.[3] Relations publiques (1959) is a calque of English public relations, from the United States.[3] Technical uses include music (fausses relations, 1634, Mersenne), geometry (1765) and vie de relation (Maine de Biran, 1814).[2][11]

Timeline

  • c. 1136–65 – Anglo-Norman relacion.[9]
  • c. 1220 – Faire relation “to report”.[2]
  • c. 1265 – “Link, connection”, Brunetto Latini.[2]
  • 1284 – Legal report.[2]
  • 1602 – A traveller's narrative.[2]
  • 1634 – Fausses relations in music, Mersenne.[2]
  • 1657 – A tie between persons, Pascal.[2]
  • 1718 – Être en relation avec.[3]
  • 1813 – Relations “acquaintances”.[2]
  • 1959 – Relations publiques.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A relation, link or connection between things: relation de cause à effet.[10][1]
  2. A tie or relationship between people: relations amicales, être en relation avec quelqu'un.[10][1]
  3. An acquaintance, contact, avoir des relations, to know influential people.[3][10]
  4. Relations (plural): dealings between states or groups: relations internationales; a sexual relationship.[3][1]
  5. Relations publiques: public relations.[3]
  6. An account, report; a narrative of travel: relation d'un voyage en Chine.[10][2]
  7. (mathematics, music) A relation between quantities or sounds.[2][7]

Word family

  • relationnel
  • relater
  • relatif
  • référer

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 10, 228b
  7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  10. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  11. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Relation.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/relation. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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