Where does “random” come from?
random (French) comes from English random, from English randon, from Middle English randoun, from Old French randon, from Old French randir, from Frankish rand, from Proto-Germanic randijō, from Proto-Germanic rinnaną — to move, to stir.
random (French): random apropos of nothing, lacking context
Definitions
- random apropos of nothing, lacking context
Ancestry of “random”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | random | A roving motion; course without definite... |
| 2 | English | randon | Obsolete form of random |
| 3 | Middle English | randoun | Force, magnitude, haste, intensity; Something... |
| 4 | Old French | randon | rapidity |
| 5 | Old French | randir | to run; to run quickly or impetuously; to gallop |
| 6 | Frankish | rand | run; a course; running |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | randijō | running |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | rinnaną | to run, to rush; to flow |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ér- | to move, to stir |