cargo

Where does the word "cargo" come from? It comes from Late Latin carricare, passing through Spanish before entering English (1600s).

Cargo’s story begins in Late Latin: carricare meant “to load.” Meaning "to load onto a cart". By medieval, the word had taken hold in Spanish as cargar. Kept the meaning of loading a ship or vehicle. It reached English by 1600s as cargo. Spanish 'cargar', to load, from the same root as 'charge' and 'car'. Today, cargo means goods carried by a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle.

1. Stage 1 · Late Latin · ancient carricare "to load", meaning "to load onto a cart".
2. Stage 2 · Spanish · medieval cargar "to load, a load", kept the meaning of loading a ship or vehicle.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s cargo "goods transported by ship, plane, or vehicle", Spanish 'cargar', to load, from the same root as 'charge' and 'car'.