Where does “strange” come from?
strange (Middle English) comes from Old French estrange, from Latin extrāneus, from Latin -āneus, from Latin -eus, from Proto-Italic *-eos — Forms adjectives indicating being formed out of a material.
strange (Middle English): Alternative form of straunge
Definitions
- Alternative form of straunge
Ancestry of “strange”, step by step
strange traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French estrange
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | estrange | foreign; overseas; foreigner; non-native |
| 2 | Latin | extrāneus | foreign |
| 3 | Latin | -āneus | forming adjectives Of or pertaining to; -aneous |
| 4 | Latin | -eus | argentum + API → argenteus; ferrum + API →... |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | *-eos | Forms adjectives indicating being formed out of a material |