Etymology Map
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Attempt

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to make an effort to do something

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
attemptare
Latin · ancient
"to try, strive"
'ad-' plus 'temptare', to test, the root of 'tempt'
2
Stage 2 of 3
atempter
Old French · medieval
"to try"
closely linked to 'tempt'
3
Stage 3 of 3
attempt
English · 1300s
"to try"
'an attempt on someone's life' dates from the 1500s
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Read the full story

Attempt’s story begins in Latin: attemptare meant “to try, strive.” 'ad-' plus 'temptare', to test, the root of 'tempt'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as atempter. Closely linked to 'tempt'. It reached English by 1300s as attempt. 'an attempt on someone's life' dates from the 1500s. Today, attempt means to make an effort to do something.