Where does “different” come from?
Different derives from Middle English different, from Old French different, from Latin differens, the present participle of differre meaning to carry apart, from dis- plus ferre meaning to carry, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-.
different (English): Not the same; exhibiting a difference; Various,...
Definitions
- Not the same; exhibiting a difference; Various,...
Ancestry of “different”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | different | different |
| 2 | Old French | different | — |
| 3 | Latin | differens | spreading, scattering, dispersing, separating;... |
| 4 | Latin | differo | I carry different ways, spread, scatter,... |
| 5 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 6 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 7 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |
Words derived from “different”