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seulement

Etymology and origin of the French word seulement

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1121–1134, Philippe de Thaon, Bestiaire (sulement)
Ultimate origin
Latin (sōlus)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin solus
French seul
French seulement

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /sœl.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

seulement[1] Old French sulement, solement, Middle French seullement.[2][1][3]

Etymology

It is formed from French seul + -ment, from the feminine “seule”, Old French solement.[2][4][1][3] Wiktionary traces the Old French form to a Medieval Latin “sōlā mente”; the base seul continues Latin sōlus (“alone”).[1][5]

Romance parallels are Old Occitan solamen, Catalan solament, Spanish solamente and Italian solamente.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In 1121–34 Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire uses sulement for “nothing more, only”.[2] About 1160 the Roman d'Eneas has tot solement “all alone”.[2]

Semantic evolution

In the early 16th century, at the head of a clause, it introduced a restriction, “but, however” (Gringore).[2] With adverbs of time it meant “not before” (alors seulement, 1546), and in negative or interrogative sentences “not even” (Montaigne, 1580).[2][6]

After an imperative it softens or encourages (allez seulement, 1525).[7][2] Non seulement… mais is found in Commynes (about 1496) and Rabelais (1534), and si seulement “if only” in Grévin (1561).[7][2] In mathematics and logic si et seulement si expresses a necessary and sufficient condition.[8]

Timeline

  • 1121–1134 – Sulement in Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire.[2]
  • c. 1160 – Tot solement “all alone”.[2]
  • c. 1496 – Non seulement… mais in Commynes.[7]
  • Early 16th century – “But, however”, in Gringore.[2]
  • 1546 – Alors seulement.[2]
  • 1561 – Si seulement.[2]
  • 1580 – “Not even”, in Montaigne.[2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. only, merely: trois personnes seulement, non seulement… mais encore.[8][9]
  2. Not before, only (of time): il arrive seulement demain.[9][8]
  3. But, however: je voudrais bien, seulement je n'ai pas le temps.[9][2]
  4. Pas seulement: not even: il ne sait seulement pas lire.[8][9]
  5. Si seulement: if only.[2][6]
  6. After an imperative, to encourage: essaie seulement ![2][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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 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 Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  4. ^ 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. 12, 79a
  6. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b c d Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b c d Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
Cite this entry

“Seulement.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/seulement. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·