Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “governance” come from?

Governance comes from Middle English governaunce, from Old French gouvernance, meaning the action or manner of governing.

governance (English): The process, or the power, of governing;...

Definitions

  1. The process, or the power, of governing;...

Ancestry of “governance”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishgovernaunceControl, direction, or leadership; the holding of...
2Old Frenchgouvernance—

Words derived from “governance”

  • metagovernance
  • misgovernance
  • governaunce
  • misgovernaunce
  • e-governance
Every word from Old French gouvernance →