duration

Where does the word "duration" come from? It comes from Latin durus, passing through Latin before entering English (1400s).

Duration’s story begins in Latin: durus meant “hard.” Hard, giving rise to durare (to last). Within Latin, it grew into duratio by ancient. A lasting, a length of time, from durare. It reached English by 1400s as duration. Settled as the English word for the length of time something lasts. Today, duration means the length of time during which something continues or lasts.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient durus "hard", hard, giving rise to durare (to last).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient duratio "a lasting, a length of time", a lasting, a length of time, from durare.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s duration "the length of time something lasts", settled as the English word for the length of time something lasts.