Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “letter agreement” come from?

letter agreement (English) comes from English agreement, from Middle English agrement, from Old French agrement, from Old French agreer, from Old French gré, from Latin grātum, from Latin grātus, from Proto-Italic grātos — to express approval; praise; to elevate.

letter agreement (English): An agreement, specifically a legally binding...

Definitions

  1. An agreement, specifically a legally binding...

Ancestry of “letter agreement”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishagreementAn understanding between entities to follow a...
2Middle EnglishagrementAn understanding, agreement, or state of mutual...
3Old Frenchagrementagreement; accord
4Old Frenchagreerto please; to be pleasing to
5Old Frenchgrépleasure, goodwill; will; step
6Latingrātum—
7Latingrātus—
8Proto-Italicgrātos—
9Proto-Indo-Europeangʷr̥Htós—
10Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷerH-to express approval; praise; to elevate
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷerH- →