fashion

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

Fashion’s story begins in Latin: facere meant “to make, to do.” The root of 'fact', 'factory' and 'feature'. Within Latin, it grew into factio by ancient. A making, a manner of making, from facere. From there it passed into Old French as facon by medieval. Carried into French for the way something is made or styled. It reached English by 1300s as fashion. Settled as the English word for a popular style, or to make something. Today, fashion means a popular style of dress or behavior at a given time, or to make or shape something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient facere "to make, to do", the root of 'fact', 'factory' and 'feature'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient factio "a making, a manner of making", a making, a manner of making, from facere.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval facon "the way something is made or styled", carried into French for the way something is made or styled.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s fashion "a popular style, or to make or shape something", settled as the English word for a popular style, or to make something.