Etymologically
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valise

Etymology and origin of the French word valise

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1558, Du Bellay, Les Regrets
Borrowed from
Italian valigia
Ultimate origin
Medieval Latin (valisia)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /va.liz/[1]

Forms

valise f (plural valises)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Italian valigia (“small trunk”), recorded in Italian from the 14th century (Boccaccio), from Medieval Latin valisia (13th–14th centuries, in documents from Italy).[2][3][4][5] The further origin is uncertain.[2][3] Because the word spread from northern Italy, Bloch and Wartburg think a Gaulish source likely and propose a derivative of a stem Gaulish *val- (“to surround”),[4][3][6] which the TLFi also mentions as possible.[2] Others have compared Arabic وَلِيهَة (walīha, “sack of grain”),[3][5][7][1] and Pierre Guiraud posits Vulgar Latin *vallitia, formed on Latin vallō (“to protect”), the case “protecting” its contents.[3][5] Littré reports Diez's derivation from vīdulus (“travelling bag”).[8]

Wiktionary instead treats the word as inherited from Middle French and calls the Italian route doubtful.[1] The Medieval Latin word also gave Middle High German velis, whence German Felleisen.[3][4] Compare Spanish valija.[1][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

Du Bellay uses it in Les Regrets (1558);[2][3] it then named a long leather bag carried on horseback behind the saddle.[3][9] Olivier de Magny's Odes have ma valise in 1559.[10]

Semantic evolution

Rey notes that the word was probably in use before its first record, as the derivative dévaliser (1555) suggests.[3][4] As the object changed shape it became a rectangular, fairly rigid piece of hand luggage, distinct from the bag (1876).[3][9] Valise diplomatique (1872) is the correspondence and objects covered by diplomatic immunity, and by extension the bag that carries them.[2][3]

Figuratively faire ses valises means “to leave” (1935, Sartre, 1945), whence the familiar se faire la valise “to clear off”.[3][7] In sports slang of the 2000s prendre une valise is to be heavily beaten.[3] In Quebec French it is often used, and criticized, for the boot of a car.[3]

Timeline

  • 1558 – First record, in Du Bellay's Les Regrets.[2]
  • 1555 – The derivative dévaliser is recorded.[4]
  • 1694 – Recorded by the Académie.[2]
  • 1872 – Valise diplomatique, in Littré.[2]
  • 1876 – The modern rectangular hand case.[3][9]
  • 1935 – Faire ses valises “to leave”.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A suitcase: a rectangular piece of luggage carried by a handle, faire sa valise, ses valises, to pack, to get ready to leave.[9][7][1]
  2. Valise diplomatique: the diplomatic bag.[2][3]
  3. (old) A long leather bag carried on horseback.[9]
  4. (figurative, chiefly plural) Bags under the eyes.[1]
  5. (Quebec, criticized) The boot (trunk) of a car.[3]

Word family

  • dévaliser
  • mot-valise

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 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 i j k l m n o p q r Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 23, 110b
  7. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Valise.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/valise. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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