bribe

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

Bribe’s story begins in Medieval Latin: briba meant “piece of bread.” A Medieval Latin word for scraps given to beggars. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as bribe. Alms or scraps. It reached English by 1300s as bribe. The sense 'corrupt payment' dates from the 1500s. Today, bribe means money given to influence someone dishonestly.

1. Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval briba "piece of bread", a Medieval Latin word for scraps given to beggars.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval bribe "morsel given to a beggar", alms or scraps.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s bribe "theft; alms", the sense 'corrupt payment' dates from the 1500s.