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sécurité

Etymology and origin of the French word sécurité

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1190
Borrowed from
Latin securitas
Ultimate origin
Latin (sēcūrus)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin cura
Latin securus
English secure
French sûr
French sûrement
Latin securitas
English security
French sécurité

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /se.ky.ʁi.te/[1]

Forms

sécurité f (plural sécurités)[1] The Académie spelled it securité in 1694 and 1718, sécurité from 1740.[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin sēcūritās (“freedom from care; tranquillity; safety; guarantee”), from sēcūrus (“free from care”), the source of sûr.[2][3][4][5][6] It is a learned doublet of sûreté, borrowed to express a nuance of sense distinct from it.[4][5][1][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found about 1190 and in the first half of the 13th century for the confidence of someone who thinks they have nothing to fear.[3][2][5]

Semantic evolution

Taken up again about 1480, it remained rare until it became usual in the 17th and 18th centuries.[3][5][4] Montaigne has en toute sécurité (about 1588), still with the sense “in complete peace of mind”.[2][8] In the 18th century it came to mean the objective absence of danger (1770, Raynal), and laws spoke of sécurité publique (1870).[3][2]

Engineering gave coefficient de sécurité (1889) and de sécurité for protective devices (1925).[2][3] Sécurité sociale (1945), familiarly la sécu (1960), is a calque of English social security (1935), and under English influence the word has replaced sûreté in many contexts, as in air travel.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1190 – First record.[3][5]
  • c. 1480 – Taken up again.[3]
  • c. 1588 – En toute sécurité, Montaigne.[2]
  • 1770 – Absence of danger, Raynal.[3]
  • 1889 – Coefficient de sécurité.[2]
  • 1945 – Sécurité sociale.[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A feeling of security, peace of mind: en toute sécurité.[9][2]
  2. safety, security: the absence of danger: la sécurité de l'emploi, la sécurité routière.[9][1]
  3. Public order and protection: la sécurité publique, forces de sécurité.[2][8]
  4. De sécurité: protective: ceinture de sécurité, dispositif de sécurité.[3][2]
  5. Sécurité sociale: the French social insurance system.[2][3]

Word family

  • sécuritaire
  • sécuriser
  • insécurité

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m 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 Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e 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. 11, 387b
  7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

  • encore · also from Latin
  • et · also from Latin
  • de · also from Latin
  • ne · also from Latin
  • je · also from Latin
  • avoir · also from Latin
  • être · also from Latin
  • tu · also from Latin
Cite this entry

“Sécurité.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/s%C3%A9curit%C3%A9. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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