Where does “terse” come from?

Terse comes from Latin tersus, the past participle of tergeo meaning to rub or wipe, from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- with the same sense.

terse (English): Of speech or style: brief, concise, to the point;...

Definitions

  1. Of speech or style: brief, concise, to the point;...

Ancestry of “terse”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latintersusclean, neat, rubbed or wiped (off), cleansed, having been cleansed
2LatintergoAlternative form of tergeō; ablative singular of...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanterh₁-to rub, turn; to drill, pierce

Words derived from “terse”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- →Every word from Latin tergo →Every word from Latin tersus →