avoid

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

Avoid’s story begins in Latin: viduare meant “to empty, deprive.” From 'viduus', bereft, the root of 'widow'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as esvuidier. 'es-' plus 'vuidier', to empty, the root of 'void'. It reached English by 1300s as avoid. Shifted from clearing out to keeping away from. Today, avoid means to keep away from.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient viduare "to empty, deprive", from 'viduus', bereft, the root of 'widow'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval esvuidier "to empty out", 'es-' plus 'vuidier', to empty, the root of 'void'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s avoid "to empty; to shun", shifted from clearing out to keeping away from.