audience

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

Audience’s story begins in Latin: audire meant “to hear.” The root of 'audio', 'audit' and 'audition'. Within Latin, it grew into audientia by ancient. A hearing, a listening, from audire. From there it passed into Old French as audience by medieval. Carried into French for a formal hearing or gathering of listeners. It reached English by 1300s as audience. Settled as the English word for a group of listeners or spectators. Today, audience means a group of people gathered to watch or listen to a performance, speech, or work.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient audire "to hear", the root of 'audio', 'audit' and 'audition'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient audientia "a hearing, a listening", a hearing, a listening, from audire.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval audience "a formal hearing, or a gathering of listeners", carried into French for a formal hearing or gathering of listeners.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s audience "a group of listeners or spectators", settled as the English word for a group of listeners or spectators.