button

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

Button’s story begins in Old French: boter meant “to push.” A verb of Germanic origin meaning to push or thrust, related to 'butt'. Within Old French, it grew into boton by medieval. A bud or knob pushing out, then a knob for fastening clothes. It reached English by 1300s as button. The push-button for machines came with electricity in the 1800s. Today, button means a small disc for fastening clothes; a knob pressed to operate a device.

1. Stage 1 · Old French · medieval boter "to push", a verb of Germanic origin meaning to push or thrust, related to 'butt'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval boton "bud; knob", a bud or knob pushing out, then a knob for fastening clothes.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s button "a small fastener", the push-button for machines came with electricity in the 1800s.