Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “try” come from?

Try comes from Old French trier, derived from Latin triare, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European terh₁-, a root meaning to rub or wear away.

try (English): To attempt; to endeavour. Followed by infinitive;...

Definitions

  1. To attempt; to endeavour. Followed by infinitive;...

Ancestry of “try”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishtriento try a legal case
2Old Frenchtrierto choose; to select; to sort; to find
3Latintriareto pick out
4Latintritodative masculine singular of trītus; dative...
5Latintritusrubbed, triturated; worn out or away, well-worn
6LatinteroI rub or triturate; I wear away or wear out; I...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanterh₁-to rub, turn; to drill, pierce

Words derived from “try”

  • trying
  • trier
  • triable
  • retry
  • trieth
  • triest
  • trysquare
  • tryingly
  • retriable
  • tryhard
  • tryingness
  • overtry
  • untriable
  • tryscoring
  • tryless
  • triableness
  • try pot
  • trywork
  • traim
Every word from Proto-Indo-European terh₁- →