Where does “instant messaging” come from?
instant messaging (English) comes from English instant, from Middle English instant, from Old French instant, from Latin īnstāns, from Latin stō, from Proto-Italic staēō, from Proto-Indo-European sth₂éh₁yeti, from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-.
instant messaging (English): A form of realtime communication where two or more people exchange text messages, usually short, using computers or other devices with communications capabilities
Definitions
- A form of realtime communication where two or more people exchange text messages, usually short, using computers or other devices with communications capabilities
Ancestry of “instant messaging”, step by step
instant messaging traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English instant
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | instant | A very short period of time; a moment; A single,... |
| 2 | Middle English | instant | infinitely short period of time |
| 3 | Old French | instant | assiduous, at hand |
| 4 | Latin | īnstāns | standing or pressing upon |
| 5 | Latin | stō | to stand |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | staēō | stand |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sth₂éh₁yeti | to stand |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | *steh₂- | — |
via English messaging
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | messaging | present participle of message; The transmission... |
| 2 | English | message | A communication, or what is communicated; any... |
| 3 | Old French | message | message; messenger |
| 4 | Latin | missāticum | message |
| 5 | Latin | missus | sent, having been sent, caused to go, having been... |
| 6 | Latin | -tus | Forms the past participle of verbs; Forms... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | -tus | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -tus | Derives action nouns from verb roots |
via English instant message#Verb
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | instant message#Verb | — |