expense

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

Expense’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 expensa by ancient. Money paid out, from expendere. From there it passed into Old French as espense by medieval. Carried into French for the cost of something. It reached English by 1400s as expense. Settled as the English word for the cost incurred in doing something. Today, expense means the cost incurred in buying, doing, or maintaining something.

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 expensa "money paid out", money paid out, from expendere.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval espense "the cost of something", carried into French for the cost of something.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1400s expense "the cost incurred in doing or buying something", settled as the English word for the cost incurred in doing something.