Etymologically
Log in

revue

Etymology and origin of the French word revue

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1317, reveue
Inherited from
Latin video
Ultimate origin
Proto-Italic (*wid-ē-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin video
English video
French revue
French voir
French vue
Latin pervideo
Latin provideo
English provide
English provider

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ʁə.vy/[1]

Forms

revue f (plural revues)[1] Reveue (1317), revewe (late 15th century), revue (1559, Amyot).[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is the feminine past participle of revoir used as a noun, after vue,[5][3][6][4] from voir, inherited from Latin vidēre (“to see”).[6] The sense “periodical” is from English review (1705), itself taken from Old French “reveue” “revision”.[3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

A deed of 1317 has reveue for the revision of a division of property.[5][2]

Semantic evolution

From 1356 (reveue, revue in Amyot, 1559) it was the inspection of the men and equipment of a troop, whence faire la revue de (Du Bellay, 1560), the military parade (la revue du 14-Juillet), passer en revue “to examine in detail” (Marivaux, 1723; about 1770) and the slang être de la revue “to go without” (1894).[5][3][2] It also meant seeing each other again (Marot, about 1530), surviving in nous sommes de revue (1835), and an examination of conscience (1611).[3]

The English Review was cited in French in 1708 and revue used for an English periodical in 1711; the Revue du patriote appeared in 1792, and, from 1804 the word named any periodical (Revue de philosophie).[5][3] In 1858 (Flaubert) it was also a theatre show passing the year's events in review, later any spectacular show of tableaux and dancers, whence revuiste (1887).[2][6][5] English revue was taken from French in 1872.[7]

Timeline

  • 1317 – Reveue “revision”.[5]
  • 1356 – An inspection of troops.[5]
  • c. 1530 – “Meeting again”, in Marot.[3]
  • 1559 – The form revue.[2]
  • 1723 – Faire passer en revue in Marivaux.[5]
  • 1711 – A periodical.[5]
  • 1804 – Revue de philosophie.[3]
  • 1858 – A theatre revue, in Flaubert.[2]
  • 1872 – English revue.[7]
  • 1887 – Revuiste.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A review, survey: passer en revue: to review, go through, revue de presse: press review.[8][1]
  2. (military) An inspection; a parade, march past: la revue du 14-Juillet.[8][9]
  3. A magazine, journal: une revue scientifique.[9][1]
  4. (theatre) A revue.[9][1]
  5. (familiar) Nous sommes de revue: we'll see each other again.[3]

Word family

  • revuiste

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ 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
  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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Revue.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/revue. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·