Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “around” come from?

Around derives from Middle English around, formed from the Middle English prefix a- and the word round, ultimately tracing through Middle French a-, Latin ad-, and Proto-Indo-European ád and uds- or úd.

around (English): Defining a circle or closed curve containing a...

Definitions

  1. Defining a circle or closed curve containing a...

Ancestry of “around”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englisharounde—
2Middle Englishroundcircle, round
3Old Frenchreontround
4Latinretundus—
5Latinrotundusround, circular; spherical, rotund; rounded,...
6Latinrotō—
7LatinRotaan ecclesiastical appellate court in the Catholic...
8Proto-Italicrotā—
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanHróth₂-eh₂—
10Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreth₂-to run

Words derived from “around”

  • round
  • rounds
  • roundabout
  • wraparound
  • roundish
  • roundhouse
  • Roundhead
  • workaround
  • roundworm
  • roundhead
  • roundheaded
  • roundsman
  • walkaround
  • roundaboutness
  • unround
  • roundball
  • shootaround
  • roundback
  • roundleaf
  • nonround
  • lookaround
  • roundfish
  • rundle
  • aroundness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hreth₂- →