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Etymology and origin of the French word trio

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1582 Jean-Édouard Du Monin, Nouvelles Œuvres More words from the 16th century
Borrowed from
Italian trio
Ultimate origin
Latin trēs

Pronunciation

Forms

trio m (plural trios)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian trio, a musical term formed on tre (“three”) after the model of duo.[2][3][4][5] The Italian numeral is from Latin trēs (“three”).[5][6] The TLFi notes that the Italian word is recorded as a musical term only from the first half of the 17th century, in G. B. Doni.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is figurative, in Du Monin's Nouvelles Œuvres (1582): La cholere, le sang, le suc Melancolic / Ne chantent en Trio (“choler, blood and the melancholy humour do not sing in trio”).[7][2]

Semantic evolution

It was soon used literally in music: jouer en beau trio in Béroalde de Verville, about 1610, of three musicians playing together.[2][3] It came to name a group of three musicians and a composition for three parts, such as Beethoven's trios.[3] In the Romantic period it also named the second part of a minuet in a sonata (1829, Fétis) and of many dances.[3][5]

Outside music, it has meant a group of three people since 1585 (Cholières);[2][3] Bloch and Wartburg, who date this sense to La Fontaine (1660), call it a French innovation.[4] It is often used jokingly or slightingly.[6][8] In horse racing trio is a bet on three horses.[3][8]

Timeline

  • 1582 – Du Monin writes chanter en trio figuratively.[2][7]
  • 1585 – Cholières uses it of a group of three people.[2][7]
  • c. 1610 – Béroalde de Verville writes jouer en beau trio.[2]
  • 1668 – La Fontaine uses it of three people.[5][7]
  • 1690 – Furetière records the sense “group of three people”.[5]
  • 1829 – Fétis uses it of the second part of a minuet or march.[5][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (music) A piece for three instruments or three voices: un trio pour piano et cordes.[8][2][9]
  2. (music) A group of three musicians: un trio de jazz manouche.[8][10][9]
  3. (music) The second part of a minuet in a sonata, or of a march or dance.[8][5][6]
  4. A group of three people, often said jokingly or pejoratively.[8][10][6]
  5. (horse racing) A bet on the first three horses of a race.[8][3]
  • duo
  • trois
  • triolet
  • Italian trio

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 d e f g h Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  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 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 e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
  10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Trio.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/trio. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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