Where does “balance” come from?
Balance comes from Middle English balaunce, from Middle French balance, from Latin bilanx, literally "two-scaled," from bi- meaning "two" and lanx meaning "scale or plate."
balance (English): A state in which opposing forces harmonise;...
Definitions
- A state in which opposing forces harmonise;...
Ancestry of “balance”, step by step
balance traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English balaunce
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | balaunce | A set of scales; a balance; The ensuring of... |
| 2 | Old French | balance | scales (weighing scales) |
| 3 | Late Latin | bilancia | — |
| 4 | Latin | bilanx | having two scales; a balance with two scalepans |
| 5 | Latin | bi- | having two parts; occurring twice |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *dwi- | two, bi-, di |