Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Drag to rotate
Tracing “”…
Where does the word "court" come from? It comes from Latin cohors, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "court" come from? It comes from Latin cohors, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Court’s story begins in Latin: cohors meant “enclosed yard.” The root of 'cohort'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as cort. A king's household and law court. It reached English by 1200s as court. Tennis 'courts' date from the 1500s. Today, court means a law court; a royal household.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient cohors "enclosed yard", the root of 'cohort'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval cort "royal court", a king's household and law court.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s court "royal household; law court", tennis 'courts' date from the 1500s.