Etymology Map
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Allow

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to let someone do something

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
allaudare
Latin · ancient
"to praise"
'ad-' plus 'laudare', to praise; merged with 'allocare', to assign
2
Stage 2 of 3
alouer
Old French · medieval
"to praise; to assign"
two Latin verbs collapsed into one French word
3
Stage 3 of 3
allow
English · 1300s
"to praise; to permit"
the praising sense died out and 'permit' took over
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Read the full story

Allow’s story begins in Latin: allaudare meant “to praise.” 'ad-' plus 'laudare', to praise; merged with 'allocare', to assign. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as alouer. Two Latin verbs collapsed into one French word. It reached English by 1300s as allow. The praising sense died out and 'permit' took over. Today, allow means to let someone do something.