amount

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

Amount’s story begins in Latin: ad montem meant “to the mountain.” 'ad', to, plus 'mons', mountain: going upward. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as amonter. 'amonter' also meant to climb a mountain, from 'a mont', uphill. It reached English by 1300s as amount. The noun 'amount', a total, dates from the 1700s. Today, amount means a quantity of something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient ad montem "to the mountain", 'ad', to, plus 'mons', mountain: going upward.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval amonter "to go up", 'amonter' also meant to climb a mountain, from 'a mont', uphill.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s amount "to rise to", the noun 'amount', a total, dates from the 1700s.