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Today it means

export

to send goods or services to another country for sale

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Where does the word "export" come from? It comes from Latin exportare, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "export" come from? It comes from Latin exportare, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Export’s story begins in Latin: exportare meant “to carry out.” To carry out, from ex- (out) and portare (to carry). It reached English by 1600s as export. Settled as the English word for sending goods to another country for sale. Today, export means to send goods or services to another country for sale.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient exportare "to carry out", to carry out, from ex- (out) and portare (to carry).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s export "to send goods to another country for sale", settled as the English word for sending goods to another country for sale.

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