Where does “retail” come from?
Retail derives from Old French retaillier, formed from the prefix re- and talis, ultimately tracing through Latin re- and Proto-Indo-European roots wer- and só.
retail (English): The sale of goods directly to the consumer,...
Definitions
- The sale of goods directly to the consumer,...
Ancestry of “retail”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | retaillier | to shape by cutting; to circumcise; to diminish;... |
| 2 | Old French | re- | re- again; once more |
| 3 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 4 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 5 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |