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Where does the word "compete" come from? It comes from Latin competere, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).
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Where does the word "compete" come from? It comes from Latin competere, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).
Compete’s story begins in Latin: competere meant “to seek together, to strive together.” To seek together, to strive together, from com- (together) and petere (to seek). It reached English by 1600s as compete. Settled as the English word for striving against others for the same goal. Today, compete means to strive against others to achieve or win something.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient competere "to seek together, to strive together", to seek together, to strive together, from com- (together) and petere (to seek).
- Stage 2 · English · 1600s compete "to strive against others for the same goal", settled as the English word for striving against others for the same goal.