Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “recess” come from?

Recess comes from Latin recessus, the past participle of recedo meaning to withdraw, from cedo meaning to go, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wer- meaning to turn.

recess (English): A break, pause or vacation; An inset, hole, space...

Definitions

  1. A break, pause or vacation; An inset, hole, space...

Ancestry of “recess”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinrecessusreceded, retreated; recess, secluded spot;...
2Latinrecederesecond-person singular future passive indicative...
3Latinrĕ-—
4Latinprōdūcō—
5Latinprō-—
6Proto-Italic*pro-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
9Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →