detour

Where does the word "detour" come from? It comes from Old French destorner, passing through French before entering English (1700s).

Detour’s story begins in Old French: destorner meant “to turn away.” Meaning "to turn away" or "divert". By 1600s, the word had taken hold in French as détour. The noun form for a roundabout route. It reached English by 1700s as detour. Road detours became common with motoring in the 1900s. Today, detour means an alternate route taken to avoid something, or a departure from a direct path.

1. Stage 1 · Old French · medieval destorner "to turn away", meaning "to turn away" or "divert".
2. Stage 2 · French · 1600s détour "a roundabout route", the noun form for a roundabout route.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1700s detour "an alternate, indirect route", road detours became common with motoring in the 1900s.