Etymograph

English

troupe

Troupe comes from French troupe ‘troop’, from troupeau ‘herd’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *treb- ‘settlement, dwelling’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*treb-‘settlement, dwelling’root as named · steps between not traced
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400trope
  3. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presenttroupeau‘herd’
  5. French, derivedc. 1600–presenttroupe‘troop’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 2017same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*treb-‘settlement, dwelling’root as named · steps between not traced
  2. Old Frenchc. 842–1400trope
  3. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presenttroupeau‘herd’
  5. French, derivedc. 1600–presenttroupe‘troop’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 2017same form

Earliest quotation: 2017, Alexis Petridis, Glastonbury 2017 verdict: Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Lorde, St: “Meanwhile, the bills on the main stages skewed towards…”

The story

Attested 1825; Unadapted borrowing from French troupe, which see for more.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *treb- ‘settlement, dwelling’

tavern, tabernacle, 14 more

through French troupeau ‘herd’

trooper, 1 more

through French troupe ‘troop’

troop, 2 more

Today it means

noun A company of, often touring, acrobats, actors, singers or dancers.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *treb- / troupe

Shirt and support for this word