Etymologically
Log in

serrer

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 07:50. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /sɛ.ʁe/[1]
  • IPA: /se.ʁe/[1]

Forms

serrer[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Vulgar Latin *serrō, an alteration of serō (“to bar, bolt”), from sera (“bar for fastening a door; bolt”).[2][3][4][1][5] The double ⟨rr⟩ is probably due to the influence of ferrum (“iron”), or of serra (“saw”), because of the toothed parts of some locks.[2][3][4][6] Rey calls “sera” a technical term of unclear origin.[2]

Cognate with Italian serrare, Occitan sarrar, Catalan serrar, Spanish cerrar and Portuguese cerrar.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The GLLF and the Grand Robert date it to the Chanson de Guillaume (late 11th century), meaning to grip, Wace (about 1155) has the etymological sense “to bolt (a door)”.[8][4][9]

Semantic evolution

In Old French it meant to grip firmly, to close tight (la bouche serée), to besiege (1165–70) and to press together (soldiers, teeth); le cœur serré is in Benoît de Sainte-Maure (about 1165).[2][9][6] From the 13th century it meant to shut away and to put in a safe place (about 1240), a sense replaced by ranger but still alive in western and southern France, Belgium, Quebec and Réunion.[2][7]

Serrer la main dates from d'Aubigné (1616), and serrer les rangs from Monet (1636).[9][8] Sailors serrent le vent (1678), sailing close to it.[9] In slang it means to arrest (se faire serrer) and to pick up a lover.[1]

Timeline

  • Late 11th century – Chanson de Guillaume.[8][4]
  • c. 1155 – “To bolt”, Wace.[9]
  • c. 1165 – Le cuer serré, Benoît de Sainte-Maure.[9][6]
  • c. 1240 – “To put away in a safe place”.[2]
  • 1616 – Serrer la main, d'Aubigné.[9]
  • 1636 – Serrer les rangs, Monet.[9]
  • 1678 – Serrer le vent.[9]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To squeeze, grip, clasp: serrer la main de quelqu'un, serrer quelqu'un dans ses bras.[1][7]
  2. To tighten: serrer un nœud, une vis, sa ceinture, serrer les dents.[1][6]
  3. (of clothes) To be tight on: ces chaussures me serrent.[7]
  4. To press close together: serrer les rangs, se serrer, to squeeze up.[9][1]
  5. To keep close to, hug: serrer le vent, serrer quelqu'un contre un mur.[9][1]
  6. (regional, Quebec, Belgium) To put away, store.[7][2]
  7. (slang) To arrest; to pick up, seduce.[1]

Word family

  • serre
  • serrure
  • serrement
  • serrage
  • desserrer
  • resserrer
  • enserrer
  • serre-tête
  • serre-livres
  • serre-joint

Usage notes

Avoir le cœur serré is to feel a pang of sadness, se serrer la ceinture is to tighten one's belt.[9][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 11, 496b
  6. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  8. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 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