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sauvegarder

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Etymology and origin of the French word sauvegarder

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1788 Féraud, Dictionaire critique More words from the 18th century
Ultimate origin
French sauvegarde,-er

Pronunciation

  • /sov.ɡaʁ.de/[1]

Forms

sauvegarder[1]

Etymology

It is a verb formed from French sauvegarde + -er.[2][1][3][4] The noun, first salve garde (about 1155), is a compound of the feminine of sauf and garde.[4][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in Féraud's Dictionaire critique in 1788, in phrases such as sauve-garder l'honneur, la propriété, la sûreté de tous les citoyens, “to safeguard the honour, property and safety of all citizens”.[2][5] Littré still called it a neologism.[6]

Semantic evolution

The verb was first applied to abstract things, to protect rights, interests or freedoms.[4][2] In 1972, like the noun sauvegarde, it entered computing for protecting recorded data from being erased: to save or back up a file.[4][7]

Timeline

  • c. 1155 – Salve garde “protection” appears in Wace's Brut.[2]
  • 1788 – Sauvegarder is recorded by Féraud.[2][5]
  • 1972 – Used in computing for saving data.[7][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To safeguard, protect: sauvegarder ses droits.[7][2][1]
  2. To keep intact, preserve.[2][1]
  3. (computing) To save data, or make a backup of it: sauvegarder un document.[7][1]

References

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

“Sauvegarder.” Etymologically, 14 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/sauvegarder. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Last edited on . ·