expend

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

Expend’s story begins in Latin: pendere meant “to weigh, to pay out.” To weigh, to pay out, combined with ex- (out). Within Latin, it grew into expendere by ancient. To weigh out, to pay out, from ex- and pendere. It reached English by 1400s as expend. Settled as the English word for spending money, time, or effort. Today, expend means to spend or use up money, time, or effort.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient pendere "to weigh, to pay out", to weigh, to pay out, combined with ex- (out).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient expendere "to weigh out, to pay out", to weigh out, to pay out, from ex- and pendere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s expend "to spend money, time, or effort on something", settled as the English word for spending money, time, or effort.