Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “peruse” come from?

Peruse comes from English per- combined with use, ultimately from Latin uti meaning "to use," derived from Proto-Indo-European h₃eyt-.

peruse (English): To examine or consider with care; To read...

Definitions

  1. To examine or consider with care; To read...

Ancestry of “peruse”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishuseThe act of using; The act of consuming alcohol or...
2Middle Englishuse—
3Old Frenchustradition or custom
4Latinūsus—
5Latinūtor—
6Proto-Slavic*ǫtorъ—
7Proto-Slavictorъ—
8Proto-Slavictertito rub, to scrape; to polish
9Proto-Indo-Europeanterh₁-to rub, turn; to drill, pierce

Words derived from “peruse”

  • perusal
  • perusing
  • reperusal
  • peruser
  • reperuse
  • perusable
Every word from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- →