Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “court” come from?

Court comes from Old French cort, from Latin cohors meaning an enclosed yard or retinue, derived from the prefix co- meaning together.

court (English): An enclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area...

Definitions

  1. An enclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area...

Ancestry of “court”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcourtcourt
2Old Frenchcortcourt
3Latincōrs—
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 “court”

  • courtyard
  • courtroom
  • courtship
  • courtly
  • courthouse
  • forecourt
  • courtliness
  • uncourtly
  • courtside
  • ballcourt
  • backcourt
  • crosscourt
  • midcourt
  • downcourt
  • courtlike
  • upcourt
  • halfcourt
  • courter
  • frontcourt
  • accourt
  • noncourt
  • fullcourt
  • hardcourt
  • anticourt
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →