cheer

Where does the word "cheer" come from? It comes from Late Latin cara, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Cheer’s story begins in Late Latin: cara meant “face.” From Greek 'kara', head. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as chiere. 'good cheer' meant a happy face. It reached English by 1200s as cheer. The shout of encouragement dates from the 1700s. Today, cheer means a shout of joy; to make happy.

1. Stage 1 · Late Latin · ancient cara "face", from Greek 'kara', head.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval chiere "face, expression", 'good cheer' meant a happy face.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s cheer "face; mood", the shout of encouragement dates from the 1700s.