Etymology Map
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Expedite

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to speed up a process

Where does the word "expedite" come from? It comes from Latin expedire, adopted directly into English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
expedire
Latin · ancient
"to free the feet"
'ex-' plus 'pes', foot: to free from a snare
2
Stage 2 of 2
expedite
English · 1400s
"to speed up"
'expedition' shares the root
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Read the full story

Expedite’s story begins in Latin: expedire meant “to free the feet.” 'ex-' plus 'pes', foot: to free from a snare. It reached English by 1400s as expedite. 'expedition' shares the root. Today, expedite means to speed up a process.