Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “interpret” come from?

Interpret comes from Middle English interpreten, from Old French enterpreter, from Latin interpretor, from Latin interpres, meaning one who explains or translates between parties.

interpret (English): To explain or tell the meaning of; to translate...

Definitions

  1. To explain or tell the meaning of; to translate...

Ancestry of “interpret”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishinterpreten—
2Old Frenchenterpreter—
3LatininterpretorI explain or expound; I interpret or translate; I...
4LatininterpresAn agent between two parties; broker, negotiator,...
5Latininterbetween, among; during, while
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁entérbetween
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁enin; in, inside

Words derived from “interpret”

  • misinterpret
  • reinterpret
  • reinterpreting
  • overinterpret
  • reinterpretable
  • reinterpreter
  • misinterpreter
  • misinterpretable
  • reinterpretability
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁en →