Etymology Map
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Evade

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to escape or avoid

Where does the word "evade" come from? It comes from Latin evadere, adopted directly into English (1510s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
evadere
Latin · ancient
"to escape"
'e-', out, plus 'vadere', to go
2
Stage 2 of 2
evade
English · 1510s
"to escape"
'tax evasion' dates from the 1800s
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Read the full story

Evade’s story begins in Latin: evadere meant “to escape.” 'e-', out, plus 'vadere', to go. It reached English by 1510s as evade. 'tax evasion' dates from the 1800s. Today, evade means to escape or avoid.