Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “differen” come from?

differen (Middle English) comes from Old French differer, from Latin differō, from Latin dis-, from Latin calceus, from Latin calx, from Ancient Greek χάλιξ — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

Ancestry of “differen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old FrenchdiffererTo differ; To defer
2Latindifferō—
3Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
4Latincalceusshoe
5Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
6Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →