Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “circumstaunce” come from?

circumstaunce (Middle English) comes from Old French circonstance, from Latin circumstantia, from Latin circumstans, from Latin circumsto, from Latin circum-, from Latin circum, from Latin circus, from Ancient Greek κρίκος — dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth.

Ancestry of “circumstaunce”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchcirconstance—
2Latincircumstantiasurrounding; encircling troops; circumstance
3Latincircumstanssurrounding, encircling
4LatincircumstoI stand around, or in a circle; I surround or...
5Latincircum-circum-
6Latincircumabout, around; in a circle, all around, on both...
7Latincircusa circular line or orbit; circle, ring; a...
8Ancient Greekκρίκοςring
9Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱer-dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth

Words derived from “circumstaunce”

  • circumstance
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- →