enter

Where does the word "enter" come from? It comes from Latin intrare, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Enter’s story begins in Latin: intrare meant “to go into.” From 'intra', within, the root of 'interior'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as entrer. 'entrée' and 'entrance' share the root. It reached English by 1200s as enter. Computing's 'enter key' dates from the 1970s. Today, enter means to come or go into.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient intrare "to go into", from 'intra', within, the root of 'interior'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval entrer "to go in", 'entrée' and 'entrance' share the root.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s enter "to go in", computing's 'enter key' dates from the 1970s.