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Where does the word "disease" come from? It comes from Late Latin adjacens, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "disease" come from? It comes from Late Latin adjacens, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Disease’s story begins in Late Latin: adjacens meant “lying nearby.” The probable source of French 'aise', ease: having elbow room. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as desaise. 'des-', lacking, plus 'aise', ease: discomfort or inconvenience. It reached English by 1300s as disease. Narrowed to illness by the 1400s. Today, disease means an illness affecting the body or mind.
- Stage 1 · Late Latin · ancient adjacens "lying nearby", the probable source of French 'aise', ease: having elbow room.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval desaise "discomfort", 'des-', lacking, plus 'aise', ease: discomfort or inconvenience.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s disease "discomfort", narrowed to illness by the 1400s.