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violent

Etymology and origin of the French word violent

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1213, Faits des Romains
Borrowed from
Latin violentus
Ultimate origin
Latin (vīs)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin violentus
French violent
Latin violentia
English violence
French violence

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /vjɔ.lɑ̃/[1]

Forms

violent (feminine violente, masculine plural violents, feminine plural violentes)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin violentus (“vehement, impetuous; violent”), derived, like violō (“to violate”), from vīs (“force, strength; violence”).[2][3][4][5] Wiktionary treats the Old French adjective as already borrowed.[1] Cognate with Old Occitan violent, Spanish violento and Italian violento.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The Faits des Romains (about 1213) use it for an impetuous person who acts or speaks without restraint.[2][7]

Semantic evolution

In 1314 the surgeon Henri de Mondeville speaks of medecines corrosives et violentes, having an intense power of action; the sense was extended to winds (1601), to impressions on the senses (Ronsard, 1564, Montaigne, 1588) and to death by accident or murder, morts violentes (Ronsard, 1555).[2][6] Ronsard (1563) uses it for efforts requiring force.[2] In familiar use since Molière (1671) it means excessive, as of a price.[2][7] The noun use, un violent, is found in Guez de Balzac (1631).[2] The verb violenter dates from the 14th century and violence from 1215.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 1213 – In the Faits des Romains.[2]
  • 1314 – Mondeville: of strong remedies.[2]
  • 1555 – Ronsard: morts violentes.[2]
  • 1588 – Montaigne: impressions violentes.[2]
  • 1631 – The noun, in Guez de Balzac.[2]
  • 1671 – Molière: “excessive”.[2]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of a person, violent, quick to use force; hot-tempered: un caractère violent.[8][1]
  2. Marked by brutality or force: une révolution violente, mort violente, death by accident or murder.[8]
  3. Very strong, intense, severe: des vents violents, une douleur violente.[8][1]
  4. Requiring great force or effort: un effort violent.[2][7]
  5. (familiar) Excessive.[2][7]

Noun

  1. A violent person.[8][2]

Word family

  • violenter

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 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. ^ 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. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 487a
  6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  7. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Violent.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/violent. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·