Where does “default” come from?
Default comes from Middle English defaute, from Old French defaute, composed of the Latin prefix de- and Latin de, both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European de.
default (English): The condition of failing to meet an obligation;...
Definitions
- The condition of failing to meet an obligation;...
Ancestry of “default”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | defaute | lack, absence |
| 2 | Old French | defaute | lack; absence |
| 3 | Latin | dē- | of; from |
| 4 | Latin | dē | of; concerning; about |
| 5 | Latin | post | behind; after, since, besides, except; behind,... |
| 6 | Latin | poste | ablative singular of postis |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | posti | behind, after |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pósti | after |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pós | afterwards, post; by, at |