aver

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

Aver’s story begins in Latin: verus meant “true.” True, combined with ad- (to). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Late Latin as adverare. To make true, to affirm, from ad- and verus. From there it passed into Old French as averer by medieval. Carried into French for asserting something as true. It reached English by 1300s as aver. Settled as the English word for stating something confidently as a fact. Today, aver means to state something formally and confidently as being true.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient verus "true", true, combined with ad- (to).
2. Stage 2 · Late Latin · medieval adverare "to make true, to affirm", to make true, to affirm, from ad- and verus.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval averer "to assert something as true", carried into French for asserting something as true.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s aver "to state something confidently as a fact", settled as the English word for stating something confidently as a fact.