Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “courthouse” come from?

Courthouse derives from English court and house, where court comes from Old French cort, from Latin cohors meaning an enclosed yard or group of people assembled together, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to enclose or assemble.

courthouse (English): A public building housing courts of law; The...

Definitions

  1. A public building housing courts of law; The...

Ancestry of “courthouse”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcourtAn enclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area...
2Middle Englishcourtcourt
3Old Frenchcortcourt
4Latincōrs—
5Latincohorsa court; a farmyard or enclosure; a retinue or...
6Latinco-allomorph of con-
7Latincōn-—
8Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
9Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
10Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
11Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
12Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
13Middle Englishkyt—
14Germankitt—
15Old High Germankuti—
16Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
17Proto-Germanickweduzresin
18Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
19Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
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