design

Where does the word "design" come from? It comes from Latin designare, passing through Italian before entering English (1500s).

Design’s story begins in Latin: designare meant “to mark out.” 'de-' plus 'signare', to mark. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in Italian as disegno. Renaissance artists' word for drawing as the basis of art. It reached English by 1500s as design. 'designer' labels date from the 1960s. Today, design means a plan or drawing; to plan.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient designare "to mark out", 'de-' plus 'signare', to mark.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · 1500s disegno "drawing, plan", Renaissance artists' word for drawing as the basis of art.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s design "to plan", 'designer' labels date from the 1960s.