Etymologically
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taper

Etymology and origin of the French word taper

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Onomatopoeia
First attested
c. 1175, Chrétien de Troyes

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ta.pe/[1]

Forms

taper[1]

Etymology

It is probably onomatopoeic, from a stem imitating the sound of a short, dull blow.[2][3][4] The Grand Robert gives a choice between onomatopoeia, Middle Dutch tappe (“paw”) and a Germanic *tappōn,[5][6] and Wiktionary derives it from that Frankish verb or from Middle Low German tappen (“to tap, strike”), comparing German tappen (“to grope”) and English dab.[1] Rey also mentions possible influence from the nautical term for plugging, of the family of tampon (see Usage notes).[2]

Compare Italian tappete (“rat-a-tat”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In its first record, in Chrétien de Troyes (about 1175), it is said of a falcon seizing a bird in flight, a sense that is out of line with the later ones.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

From about 1200 it meant “to pat, tap” and “to caress”, by about 1220 “to strike (someone)”, and in the 14th century “to strike” in general, transitive and intransitive.[7][2] In the same period the sun was said to taper (beat down) and wine to go to the head.[2] Taper des pieds (1538), later taper du pied (1689), expressed impatience or anger.[2]

The 19th century brought many familiar uses: taper dans l'œil “to take someone's fancy” (1859), taper sur les nerfs (1868), taper un air on the piano (1869, Flaubert), and taper quelqu'un “to touch someone for money” (1866, Delvau), which Bloch and Wartburg explain as a joke on striking hands to seal a bargain.[7][2][3] Se taper quelque chose “to treat oneself to” is found in 1776, se taper la cloche “to have a good feed” in 1919.[7] The sense “to type” is recorded in 1923.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 1175 – Of a falcon seizing a bird, Chrétien de Troyes.[4]
  • c. 1200 – “To pat, tap; to caress”.[7]
  • c. 1225 – “To strike (someone)”, Gautier de Coinci.[7]
  • 1306 – “To strike (something)”, Guillaume Guiart.[7]
  • 1538 – Taper des pieds.[2]
  • 1695 – The derivative tapage.[3]
  • 1776 – Se taper quelque chose, Collé.[7]
  • 1866 – “To borrow money from”, Delvau.[7]
  • 1868 – Taper sur les nerfs, George Sand.[7]
  • 1919 – Se taper la cloche, Dorgelès.[7]
  • 1923 – “To type”.[8]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To hit, slap (someone) with the flat of the hand or with an object: maman, il m'a tapé ![6][1]
  2. To strike (something); to tap, rap: taper sur la table, taper du pied.[6][1]
  3. To type: taper une lettre à la machine.[8][1]
  4. (familiar) To touch (someone) for money: taper un ami de cent euros.[7][1]
  5. Of the sun, to beat down; of wine, to go to the head.[2][1]
  6. Taper dans l'œil (à quelqu'un): to take someone's fancy, taper sur les nerfs, to get on someone's nerves.[2][7]
  7. (familiar) Se taper: to treat oneself to (food, drink); to put up with (a chore); (vulgar) to have sex with.[7][1]

Word family

  • tape
  • tapage
  • tapageur
  • tapoter
  • tapette
  • tapeur
  • retaper
  • tape-à-l'œil
  • tapuscrit
  • tampon

Usage notes

A separate verb taper “to plug (a hawse-hole) with a tampion” is a sailors' term recorded in 1752, from Old Occitan tapar (14th century) and a Germanic word for a bung, compare Dutch tap.[6][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  3. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
Cite this entry

“Taper.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/taper. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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