Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pastime” come from?

Pastime derives from Middle English passe tyme, a compound of passe and tyme meaning to pass time as a leisure activity or diversion.

pastime (English): Something which amuses, and serves to make time...

Definitions

  1. Something which amuses, and serves to make time...

Ancestry of “pastime”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishpasse tymea way of occupying oneself or passing the time; a...
2Middle Frenchpassetempspastime; hobby
3Middle Frenchtempstime
4Old Frenchtempsweather
5Latintempustime, period, age; season; kairos, right time,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeantemposstretch
7Proto-Indo-Europeantemp-to extend, stretch, span; to stetch, string; to...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European temp- →