attitude

Where does the word "attitude" come from? It comes from Late Latin aptitudo, passing through Italian before entering English (1660s).

Attitude’s story begins in Late Latin: aptitudo meant “fitness.” From 'aptus', fit. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Italian as attitudine. Painters' term for the pose of a figure; came via French 'attitude'. It reached English by 1660s as attitude. The sense 'mental state' dates from the 1800s; 'attitude' as defiance from the 1970s. Today, attitude means a way of thinking or feeling.

1. Stage 1 · Late Latin · ancient aptitudo "fitness", from 'aptus', fit.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · 1600s attitudine "posture in art", painters' term for the pose of a figure; came via French 'attitude'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1660s attitude "posture", the sense 'mental state' dates from the 1800s; 'attitude' as defiance from the 1970s.