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Where does the word "cave" come from? It comes from Latin cava, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "cave" come from? It comes from Latin cava, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Cave’s story begins in Latin: cava meant “hollow.” From 'cavus', hollow. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as cave. The same root as 'cavity' and 'cage'. It reached English by 1200s as cave. 'cave in', to collapse, dates from the 1700s. Today, cave means a large natural hollow in rock.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient cava "hollow", from 'cavus', hollow.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval cave "cave", the same root as 'cavity' and 'cage'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s cave "hollow in rock", 'cave in', to collapse, dates from the 1700s.