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Where does the word "appease" come from? It comes from Latin pax, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "appease" come from? It comes from Latin pax, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Appease’s story begins in Latin: pax meant “peace.” The root of 'peace' and 'pacify'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as apaisier. 'a-' plus 'pais', peace. It reached English by 1300s as appease. 'appeasement' became a political term in the 1930s. Today, appease means to pacify by giving in to demands.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient pax "peace", the root of 'peace' and 'pacify'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval apaisier "to bring to peace", 'a-' plus 'pais', peace.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s appease "to pacify", 'appeasement' became a political term in the 1930s.