faculty

Where does the word "faculty" come from? It comes from Latin facultas, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Faculty’s story begins in Latin: facultas meant “ability.” From 'facilis', easy, the root of 'facility'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as faculté. The medieval university's faculties of arts, law and medicine. It reached English by 1300s as faculty. The teaching staff sense is American, from the 1800s. Today, faculty means an inherent ability; teaching staff.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient facultas "ability", from 'facilis', easy, the root of 'facility'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval faculté "ability; branch of learning", the medieval university's faculties of arts, law and medicine.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s faculty "ability; branch of learning", the teaching staff sense is American, from the 1800s.