Sérelmes

Sérelmes is a historical French term used to denote injuries or wrongs inflicted on a person’s rights, honor, or reputation. It is the plural form of sérelme, a noun found primarily in legal, moral, and literary contexts to describe harms that affect both personal standing and material interests.

Etymology and scope: The precise origin of sérelme is unclear, but the word appears in medieval and early modern French texts. In those contexts, sérelmes encompassed various forms of harm, including offenses against a person’s dignity, breaches of contract, slander, or other injuries recognized by customary or statutory law. The concept emphasizes social and moral injury as well as tangible loss.

Modern usage: In contemporary French, sérelmes is largely archaic and rare in everyday language. More common terms such as préjudice (prejudice or damages), dommage (damage), injure, or tort are typically used to describe similar ideas in modern legal and common usage. When sérelmes do appear today, they often carry a formal, literary, or historical register.

Examples: While uncommon in modern text, you may encounter phrases like “à la suite de sérelmes subis” or “réparer les sérelmes causés à la réputation,” where the word signals a formal discussion of moral or social injuries alongside material harm.

See also: préjudice, tort, dommage, injure, droit civil.