corpus

Where does the word "corpus" come from? It comes from Latin corpus, and was adopted directly into English (1720s).

Corpus’s story begins in Latin: corpus meant “body.” Body, the root of 'corpse', 'corporal' and 'corporation'. It reached English by 1720s as corpus. Used for a whole body of writings; 'corpus delicti', the body of a crime, entered English law. Today, corpus means a collection of written texts; a body.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient corpus "body", body, the root of 'corpse', 'corporal' and 'corporation'.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1720s corpus "collection of texts", used for a whole body of writings; 'corpus delicti', the body of a crime, entered English law.