Where does “devise” come from?
devise (French) comes from Latin dīvidō, from Latin dis-, from Latin calceus, from Latin calx, from Ancient Greek χάλιξ — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.
devise (French): motto; assets in foreign currency; currency
Definitions
- motto; assets in foreign currency; currency
Ancestry of “devise”, step by step
devise traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin dīvidō
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | dīvidō | to divide, separate |
| 2 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 3 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 4 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |
via Old French devise
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | devise | — |