deliver

Where does the word "deliver" come from? It comes from Latin liber, passing through Late Latin and Old French before entering English (1200s).

Deliver’s story begins in Latin: liber meant “free.” Free, giving rise to liberare (to free). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Late Latin as deliberare. To set free, from de- and liberare. From there it passed into Old French as delivrer by medieval. Carried into French for freeing someone, or handing something over. It reached English by 1200s as deliver. Settled as the English word for bringing something to a destination, or freeing someone. Today, deliver means to bring or hand over something to its intended recipient or destination.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient liber "free", free, giving rise to liberare (to free).
2. Stage 2 · Late Latin · medieval deliberare "to set free", to set free, from de- and liberare.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval delivrer "to free someone, or to hand something over", carried into French for freeing someone, or handing something over.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1200s deliver "to bring something to a destination, or to free someone", settled as the English word for bringing something to a destination, or freeing someone.