clan

Where does the word "clan" come from? It comes from Latin planta, passing through Old Irish and Scottish Gaelic before entering English (1400s-1500s).

Clan’s story begins in Latin: planta meant “sprout, offshoot.” Literally "sprout" or "offshoot", the root of a family line. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old Irish as cland. Came to mean one's children or descendants. From there it passed into Scottish Gaelic as clann by medieval. Used for a kin group descended from a common ancestor. It reached English by 1400s-1500s as clan. Borrowed to describe Scottish Highland kin groups; first recorded around 1425 in Andrew of Wyntoun's Scots verse chronicle. Today, clan means a group of close-knit, interrelated families, especially in Scotland.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient planta "sprout, offshoot", literally "sprout" or "offshoot", the root of a family line.
2. Stage 2 · Old Irish · medieval cland "children, descendants", came to mean one's children or descendants.
3. Stage 3 · Scottish Gaelic · medieval clann "family, children", used for a kin group descended from a common ancestor.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1400s-1500s clan "a group of related families", borrowed to describe Scottish Highland kin groups; first recorded around 1425 in Andrew of Wyntoun's Scots verse chronicle.