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Today it means

donate

to give something, especially money or goods, to a charity or cause

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Where does the word "donate" come from? It comes from Latin donare, and was adopted directly into English (1785).

Read the full story

Where does the word "donate" come from? It comes from Latin donare, and was adopted directly into English (1785).

Donate’s story begins in Latin: donare meant “to give as a gift.” The root of 'donor' and 'pardon'. It reached English by 1785 as donate. A back-formation from 'donation'. Today, donate means to give something, especially money or goods, to a charity or cause.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient donare "to give as a gift", the root of 'donor' and 'pardon'.
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1785 donate "to give something, especially to a cause or organization", a back-formation from 'donation'.

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