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rentrer

Etymology and origin of the French word rentrer

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1140, Pèlerinage de Charlemagne
Ultimate origins
French (re-)Latin (intro)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin intro
French entrer
French rentrer
Latin introfero

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁɑ̃.tʁe/[1]

Forms

rentrer[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French re- + entrer, already in Old French.[2][3][1][4] Bloch and Wartburg note that in the dialects it competes strongly with the simple verb entrer.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

About 1140 the Pèlerinage de Charlemagne says of water: Rentre enz en son canal “it goes back into its channel”.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

It first meant “to enter again, come back”; the absolute use, “to come home”, is in Molière (1661).[2] Rentrer en grâce dates from 1538, rentrer en soi from Montaigne (1580), rentrer dans ses biens from the late 16th century.[2][7] From 1690 Furetière records it as a common synonym of entrer, a use that grammarians still criticise.[2][8]

Later senses include rentrer en classe (1822), rentrer dans ses frais (1857), money that “comes in” (1798) and slang rentrer dedans “to crash into, attack” (1900).[2] Transitively it meant to hide a feeling (une humeur rentrée, 1672) and to bring in (rentrer les bêtes, 1801).[2] Rentrer now takes être in the intransitive, Molière still wrote j'ai rentré.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1140 – Rentrer in the Pèlerinage de Charlemagne.[2]
  • c. 1510 – Rentrée.[5]
  • 1538 – Rentrer en grâce.[2]
  • 1580 – Rentrer en soi in Montaigne.[2]
  • 1661 – Used absolutely, “to come home”, in Molière.[2]
  • 1801 – Transitive, “to bring in (animals)”.[2]
  • 1900 – Slang rentrer dedans.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To come back in, go back in: rentrer dans sa chambre.[9][1]
  2. To come or go back home: rentrer tard.[10][1]
  3. To return to a state or activity: rentrer dans l'ordre, rentrer en classe.[9][2]
  4. To fit in, go into: la clé ne rentre pas.[1]
  5. Of money, to come in: les impôts rentrent mal.[2]
  6. Rentrer dans: to crash into.[1][2]
  7. (transitive) To bring or take in: rentrer la voiture; to hold back: rentrer ses larmes.[1][2]

Word family

  • rentrant
  • rentré
  • rentrée

Usage notes

A separate textile term rentrer, “to repair a tapestry”, is an alteration of rentraire (1611, Cotgrave).[2][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 4, 776a
  5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Rentrer.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/rentrer. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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