Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “discourse” come from?

Discourse comes from Middle English discours, from Middle French discours, from Latin discursus, the past participle of discurro, meaning to run about or traverse, from dis- and a root meaning to run.

discourse (English): Verbal exchange, conversation; Expression in...

Definitions

  1. Verbal exchange, conversation; Expression in...

Ancestry of “discourse”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdiscours—
2Middle Frenchdiscoursspeech; discourse
3Latindiscursusrunning about
4Latindiscurrō—
5Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
6Latincalceusshoe
7Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
8Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “discourse”

  • metadiscourse
  • counterdiscourse
  • discoursal
  • discoursive
  • discourseth
  • discourser
  • metadiscoursal
  • discoursest
  • cyberdiscourse
  • discoursiveness
  • discoursively
  • semiodiscoursive
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →