Where does “refresh” come from?
Refresh comes from Middle English refreshen, from Old French refrescher, meaning to cool or invigorate again.
refresh (English): To renew or revitalize; To become fresh again; to...
Definitions
- To renew or revitalize; To become fresh again; to...
Ancestry of “refresh”, step by step
refresh traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English re
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | re | About, regarding, with reference to; especially... |
| 2 | English | reinsurance | Insurance purchased by insurance companies that... |
| 3 | English | re- | again, anew; a completive or intensification of... |
| 4 | Middle English | re- | — |
| 5 | Old French | re- | re- again; once more |
| 6 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 7 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 8 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
via English fresh
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | fresh | Newly produced or obtained; recent; Not cooked,... |
| 2 | German | frisch | fresh; recent |
| 3 | Middle High German | vrisch | — |
| 4 | Old High German | frisc | fresh |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | frisk | fresh; unsalted |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | friskaz | fresh; not salty, unsalted |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | preysk- | fresh |
via Middle English refreshen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | refreshen | — |
| 2 | Old French | refrescher | to refresh |
| 3 | Old French | fresche | feminine singular of fres; fresh |