Etymology Map
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Discover

3 stages from Late Latin to English.

Today it means to find unexpectedly

Where does the word "discover" come from? It comes from Late Latin discooperire, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
discooperire
Late Latin · ancient
"to uncover"
'dis-', un-, plus 'cooperire', to cover
2
Stage 2 of 3
descovrir
Old French · medieval
"to uncover"
Age of Exploration writers used 'discovery' for new lands
3
Stage 3 of 3
discover
English · 1300s
"to uncover"
the sense 'find for the first time' dates from the 1500s
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Read the full story

Discover’s story begins in Late Latin: discooperire meant “to uncover.” 'dis-', un-, plus 'cooperire', to cover. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as descovrir. Age of Exploration writers used 'discovery' for new lands. It reached English by 1300s as discover. The sense 'find for the first time' dates from the 1500s. Today, discover means to find unexpectedly.