Where does “round table” come from?

round table (English) comes from English round, from Middle English round, from Old French reont, from Latin retundus, from Latin rotundus, from Latin rotō, from Latin Rota, from Proto-Italic rotā — to run.

round table (English): A conference at which participants of similar status discuss and exchange views

Definitions

  1. A conference at which participants of similar status discuss and exchange views

Ancestry of “round table”, step by step

round table traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English round

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishroundShape; Complete, whole, not lacking; Convenient...
2Middle Englishroundcircle, round
3Old Frenchreontround
4Latinretundusround
5Latinrotundusround, circular; spherical, rotund; rounded,...
6Latinrotōto turn, trend, wheel, roll, swing about, whirl, rotate; brandish
7LatinRotaan ecclesiastical appellate court in the Catholic...
8Proto-Italicrotā
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanHróth₂-eh₂
10Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreth₂-to run

via English table

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtableFurniture with a top surface to accommodate a...
2Middle EnglishtableA table; A level writing surface; Any level...
3Old Frenchtabletable
4Latintabulatablet, sometimes a tablet covered with wax for...
5Proto-Italic*taðlāboard

via Middle English rounde table

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishrounde tableRound Table

Words derived from “round table

Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hreth₂-Every word from Proto-Indo-European Hróth₂-eh₂Every word from Proto-Italic rotā
round table — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer