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vraiment

Etymology and origin of the French word vraiment

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1121–1134, Philippe de Thaon, Bestiaire
Ultimate origin
Old French (verai,-ment)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /vʁɛ.mɑ̃/[1]
  • IPA: /vʁe.mɑ̃/[1]

Forms

vraiment[1] Old French veraiement (about 1120), vraiement (13th century), vraiment (1636); the Académie wrote vrayment in 1694 and 1718.[2][3]

Etymology

It is formed from Old French verai + -ment, from Old French “verai” (see vrai) and the adverbial suffix.[3][4][1] Old French also had “voirement”, from “voir” “true”, which several dialects have kept.[5] Compare Italian veramente.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire (1121–1134) as veraiement “in truth, indeed”.[3][2]

Semantic evolution

In the early 13th century it meant “truthfully, without pretence” (about 1207, Villehardouin).[2] Joinville uses it to stress a statement in direct speech (1306: Vraiement, fist-il, c'est bien respondu), and about 1485 it appears in questions disputing a statement (vraiment ?).[3][2] From the mid-16th century it also gives a superlative force to an adjective or adverb (1550, Ronsard).[2]

Timeline

  • 1121–1134 – Veraiement in Philippe de Thaon.[3]
  • c. 1207 – “Truthfully”, in Villehardouin.[2]
  • 1306 – Stressing a statement, in Joinville.[3]
  • c. 1485 – In a question, vraiment ?[3]
  • 1550 – Intensifying an adjective, in Ronsard.[2]
  • 1636 – The spelling vraiment.[2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Truly, really, genuinely: L'aimez-vous vraiment ?[6][2]
  2. Truthfully, honestly: dire vraiment ce qu'on pense.[2][3]
  3. Really, very, as an intensifier: vraiment beau.[1][2]
  4. Stressing a statement: Vraiment, il exagère ![6]

Interjection

  1. Vraiment ?: really?, is that so?[1][2]

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 j k l Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  6. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Vraiment.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/vraiment. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·