administer

Where does the word "administer" come from? It comes from Latin administrare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Administer’s story begins in Latin: administrare meant “to serve, manage.” 'ad-' plus 'ministrare', to serve. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as aministrer. Used for administering the sacraments as well as justice. It reached English by 1300s as administer. 'administration' as government dates from the 1700s. Today, administer means to manage; to give a drug.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient administrare "to serve, manage", 'ad-' plus 'ministrare', to serve.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval aministrer "to manage", used for administering the sacraments as well as justice.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s administer "to manage", 'administration' as government dates from the 1700s.