Where does “rent-free” come from?
rent-free (English) comes from English rent, from Middle English rent, from Old French rente, from Medieval Latin rendita, from Latin rendō, from Latin reddō, from Latin dō, from Proto-Italic didō — to give.
rent-free (English): On which no rent is payable; Without paying rent
Definitions
- On which no rent is payable; Without paying rent
Ancestry of “rent-free”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | rent | A payment made by a tenant at intervals in order... |
| 2 | Middle English | rent | — |
| 3 | Old French | rente | income |
| 4 | Medieval Latin | rendita | — |
| 5 | Latin | rendō | — |
| 6 | Latin | reddō | — |
| 7 | Latin | dō | — |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | didō | give |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | dédeh₃ti | to be giving |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₃- | to give |