Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “translate” come from?

Translate comes from Middle English translaten, from Old French translater, from Latin translatus (past participle of transfero, meaning to carry across), from Latin ferre (to carry), from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- (to bear or carry).

translate (English): Senses relating to the change of information,...

Definitions

  1. Senses relating to the change of information,...

Ancestry of “translate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishtranslatenTo transport or move; to cause to change place;...
2Old Frenchtranslaterto translate
3Latintrānslātiō—
4Latintrānsferō—
5Latinferō—
6Proto-Italicferōcarry, bear
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰéretito be carrying
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰēr-shiny, light brown

Words derived from “translate”

  • untranslatable
  • translatable
  • translatability
  • translatory
  • untranslatability
  • retranslate
  • untranslateable
  • mistranslate
  • intertranslatable
  • intertranslatability
  • translateable
  • translateth
  • translatology
  • untranslatably
  • untranslatableness
  • translatese
  • retranslator
  • translatological
  • translatableness
  • untranslateableness
  • translatest
  • translatome
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- →