campus

Where does the word "campus" come from? It comes from Latin campus, and was adopted directly into English (1770s).

Campus’s story begins in Latin: campus meant “field.” The Campus Martius in Rome was a field for military exercises; the root of 'camp' and 'champion'. It reached English by 1770s as campus. First used at Princeton for the college grounds. Today, campus means the grounds and buildings of a university.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient campus "field", the Campus Martius in Rome was a field for military exercises; the root of 'camp' and 'champion'.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1770s campus "university grounds", first used at Princeton for the college grounds.