Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “appear” come from?

Appear comes from Middle English apperen, from Old French aparoir, from Latin appareo (to come into view), composed of the prefix ad- and a root from Proto-Indo-European peh₂- (to stretch or extend).

appear (English): To come or be in sight; to be in view; to become...

Definitions

  1. To come or be in sight; to be in view; to become...

Ancestry of “appear”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishapperen—
2Old Frenchaparoirto appear
3Latinappāreō—
4Latinad-to; usually prefixed to verbs, in which cases it...
5Latinīn-—
6Latinîn—
7Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
8Proto-Italicenin
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin

Words derived from “appear”

  • appearing
  • disappear
  • reappear
  • appeareth
  • appearest
  • appearer
  • nonappearing
  • appearingly
  • disappeareth
  • disappearest
  • disappearer
  • reappeareth
  • coappear
  • reappearest
  • disappearable
  • appearable
  • appearency
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →