Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “course” come from?

Course comes from Middle English cours, from Old French cours, from Latin cursus meaning "a running," derived from the verb curro meaning "to run," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱers- meaning "to run."

course (English): A sequence of events; A path that something or...

Definitions

  1. A sequence of events; A path that something or...

Ancestry of “course”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcoursstream of water, river; course; teaching, lesson,...
2GermanKurscourse; exchange rate, market price
3Italiancorsocourse; stream, waterway; avenue
4Latincohorsa court; a farmyard or enclosure; a retinue or...
5Latinco-allomorph of con-
6Latincōn-—
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt—
13Germankitt—
14Old High Germankuti—
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “course”

  • coarse
  • coarsely
  • coarseness
  • coursework
  • watercourse
  • racecourse
  • courseware
  • midcourse
  • coursebook
  • coarsen
  • timecourse
  • multicourse
  • stringcourse
  • courseload
  • postcourse
  • forecourse
  • aftercourse
  • telecourse
  • minicourse
  • precourse
  • coursepack
  • coarsish
  • courseth
  • subcourse
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →