adore

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

Adore’s story begins in Latin: adorare meant “to address, pray to.” 'ad-', to, plus 'orare', to speak or pray; the root of 'oracle'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as aorer. An older form without the d, later respelled from Latin. It reached English by 1300s as adore. First recorded around 1300 in a Middle English life of St Katherine; the casual sense 'to like very much' dates from the 1800s. Today, adore means to love and respect deeply; to worship.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient adorare "to address, pray to", 'ad-', to, plus 'orare', to speak or pray; the root of 'oracle'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval aorer "to worship", an older form without the d, later respelled from Latin.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s adore "to worship", first recorded around 1300 in a Middle English life of St Katherine; the casual sense 'to like very much' dates from the 1800s.