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Where does the word "debate" come from? It comes from Vulgar Latin battuere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "debate" come from? It comes from Vulgar Latin battuere, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Debate’s story begins in Vulgar Latin: battuere meant “to beat.” The root of 'battle' and 'batter'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as debatre. 'de-' plus 'batre', to beat down. It reached English by 1300s as debate. Parliamentary debates made it a word for formal argument. Today, debate means a formal discussion of opposing views.
- Stage 1 · Vulgar Latin · ancient battuere "to beat", the root of 'battle' and 'batter'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval debatre "to fight", 'de-' plus 'batre', to beat down.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s debate "to fight; to argue", parliamentary debates made it a word for formal argument.