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Today it means

excel

to be exceptionally good

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Where does the word "excel" come from? It comes from Latin excellere, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

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Where does the word "excel" come from? It comes from Latin excellere, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

Excel’s story begins in Latin: excellere meant “to rise above.” 'ex-' plus '-cellere', to rise. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as exceller. Latin 'excellere' meant to rise out above others, related to 'celsus', lofty. It reached English by 1400s as excel. The Excel spreadsheet was released in 1985. Today, excel means to be exceptionally good.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient excellere "to rise above", 'ex-' plus '-cellere', to rise.
  2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval exceller "to surpass", Latin 'excellere' meant to rise out above others, related to 'celsus', lofty.
  3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s excel "to surpass", the Excel spreadsheet was released in 1985.

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