carry

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

Carry’s story begins in Late Latin: carrus meant “wagon.” A Gaulish word adopted into Latin for a four-wheeled wagon; also the root of 'car'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as carier. A Norman French verb meaning to haul goods by cart. It reached English by 1300s as carry. 'carry on' dates from the 1600s, first as a sailing term. Today, carry means to support and move from one place to another.

1. Stage 1 · Late Latin · ancient carrus "wagon", a Gaulish word adopted into Latin for a four-wheeled wagon; also the root of 'car'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval carier "to transport by cart", a Norman French verb meaning to haul goods by cart.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s carry "to transport", 'carry on' dates from the 1600s, first as a sailing term.