Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “charter” come from?

charter (French) comes from English charter, from Middle English charter, from Old French chartre, from Latin chartula, from Latin charta, from French cartel, from Italian cartello, from Italian carta — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

charter (French): a charter flight; a charter plane; a charter...

Definitions

  1. a charter flight; a charter plane; a charter...

Ancestry of “charter”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcharterA document issued by some authority, creating a...
2Middle Englishcharter—
3Old Frenchchartrecharter; covenant; written agreement; record;...
4LatinchartulaDiminutive of charta a little paper; memorandum
5Latinchartapapyrus, paper; poem, a writing; map
6Frenchcartela cartel
7Italiancartellosign, notice, placard, signboard; signpost, road...
8Italiancartapaper; map; menu
9Latincartapapyrus; letter etc
10Ancient Greekχάρτηςsheet of paper, paper; book
11Ancient Greekχαράσσωto sharpen; to engrave, carve, write, draw, stamp
12Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- →