Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “attention” come from?

Attention comes from Middle English attencioun, from Latin attentio (a stretching toward), derived from Latin attendere (to attend), combining Latin ad- (toward) with Latin tenēo (to hold).

attention (English): Mental focus; An action or remark expressing...

Definitions

  1. Mental focus; An action or remark expressing...

Ancestry of “attention”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishattencioun—
2Latinattentioattention, attentiveness
3Latin-tiō—
4Latindissertātiō—
5Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
6Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “attention”

  • attentional
  • attentionally
  • overattention
  • nonattention
  • hyperattention
  • disattention
  • preattentional
  • preattention
  • attentionless
  • unattention
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →