Etymology Map
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Banquet

3 stages from Frankish to English.

Today it means an elaborate formal meal

Where does the word "banquet" come from? It comes from Frankish bank, passing through Italian before entering English (1480s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
bank
Frankish · ancient
"bench"
a Germanic word, the same as English 'bench'
2
Stage 2 of 3
banchetto
Italian · 1400s
"feast"
a small bench, then the feast eaten sitting on it
3
Stage 3 of 3
banquet
English · 1480s
"a feast"
arrived via French 'banquet'
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Read the full story

Banquet’s story begins in Frankish: bank meant “bench.” A Germanic word, the same as English 'bench'. By 1400s, the word had taken hold in Italian as banchetto. A small bench, then the feast eaten sitting on it. It reached English by 1480s as banquet. Arrived via French 'banquet'. Today, banquet means an elaborate formal meal.