Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “dispenser” come from?

Dispenser comes from Old French dispensour, from Old French despenseor, from Latin dispensator, meaning one who distributes or manages provisions.

dispenser (English): Something or someone that dispenses things

Definitions

  1. Something or someone that dispenses things

Ancestry of “dispenser”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Anglo-Normandispensour—
2Old Frenchdespenseor—
3Latindispensatorsteward, attendant; treasurer; dispenser
4LatindispensoI dispense, distribute; I manage
5Latinpensō—
6Latinpendō—
7Proto-Italicpendōhang, put in a hanging position
8Proto-Indo-European(s)péndeti—
9Proto-Indo-European(s)pend-to stretch

Words derived from “dispenser”

  • dispenser
  • dispenser
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)pend- →