Etymology Map
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Dense

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means closely compacted; stupid

Where does the word "dense" come from? It comes from Latin densus, adopted directly into English (1590s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
densus
Latin · ancient
"thick"
'density' shares the root
2
Stage 2 of 2
dense
English · 1590s
"thick"
'dense' as stupid dates from the 1800s
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Dense’s story begins in Latin: densus meant “thick.” 'density' shares the root. It reached English by 1590s as dense. 'dense' as stupid dates from the 1800s. Today, dense means closely compacted; stupid.