Where does “centerpiece” come from?
centerpiece (English) comes from English piece, from Middle English pece, from Old French piece, from Vulgar Latin pettia, from Latin pettia, from Gaulish pettyā, from Proto-Celtic kʷezdis — piece, portion.
centerpiece (English): US standard spelling of centrepiece
Definitions
- US standard spelling of centrepiece
Ancestry of “centerpiece”, step by step
centerpiece traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English piece
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | piece | A part of a larger whole, usually in such a form... |
| 2 | Middle English | pece | piece; morsel; bit |
| 3 | Old French | piece | piece, bit, part; circa 1170, Chrétien de Troyes |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | pettia | piece, portion |
| 5 | Latin | pettia | piece, portion |
| 6 | Gaulish | pettyā | — |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | kʷezdis | piece, portion |
via English Center
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Center | The point in the interior of a circle that is equidistant from all points on the circumference |
| 2 | Middle English | center | — |
| 3 | Middle French | centre | — |
| 4 | Latin | centrum | center |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | κέντρον | Something with a sharp point: point, spike, spur;... |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | *kéntron | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | *ḱéntrom | pointed tool |