exhibit

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

Exhibit’s story begins in Latin: habere meant “to have, to hold.” To have, to hold, combined with ex- (out). Within Latin, it grew into exhibere by ancient. To hold out, to display, from ex- and habere. It reached English by 1400s as exhibit. Settled as the English word for displaying something publicly. Today, exhibit means to publicly display something, or an object put on public display.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient habere "to have, to hold", to have, to hold, combined with ex- (out).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient exhibere "to hold out, to display", to hold out, to display, from ex- and habere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s exhibit "to display something publicly", settled as the English word for displaying something publicly.