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surveiller

Etymology and origin of the French word surveiller

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1586, Vigenère
Inherited from
Latin vigilo
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin vigilo
French surveiller

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /syʁ.vɛ.je/[1]
  • IPA: /syʁ.ve.je/[1]

Forms

surveiller[1]

Etymology

It is formed from veiller (“to keep watch”) with the prefix sur-,[2][3][4][5][6] the verb being inherited from Latin vigilō (“to be awake, watch”).[5][1] The Anglo-Norman “surveiller” “to keep vigil over” (1260–1270) is an earlier, separate use;[7] Wiktionary compares English surveil.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Blaise de Vigenère's Traité des chiffres (1586) has the reflexive: toutes choses commençassent à se surveiller de plus pres, to watch one another closely.[2][8]

Semantic evolution

The classical construction was surveiller à (Richelet, 1680, Littré's un général doit surveiller à tout), marked as dated by the Académie in 1878.[2][9][4] The transitive use is recorded by the Académie in 1762 and spread in the 19th century, for watching a person's conduct and supervising work, pupils and children.[2][3][8] Hugo (1837) and later writers use it of watching over oneself (surveiller son langage), and in sport it is to mark an opponent (1922).[8] Surveillant dates from 1535 and surveillance from 1633.[5]

Timeline

  • 1535 – Surveillant.[5]
  • 1586 – Se surveiller in Vigenère.[2]
  • 1633 – Surveillance.[5]
  • 1680 – Surveiller à in Richelet.[2]
  • 1762 – The transitive verb, in the Académie.[2]
  • 1922 – A sports term.[8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To watch, keep an eye on: surveiller les enfants, surveiller un suspect.[4][1]
  2. To supervise, oversee: surveiller des travaux, surveiller un examen.[4][9]
  3. To monitor: surveiller sa santé, surveiller la cuisson.[1][10]
  4. (reflexive) To watch oneself; to watch one another.[2][8]

Word family

  • surveillance
  • surveillant

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, 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. 14, 437a
  7. ^ Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  8. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Surveiller.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/surveiller. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·