Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Drag to rotate
Tracing “”…
Where does the word "flame" come from? It comes from Latin flamma, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "flame" come from? It comes from Latin flamma, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Flame’s story begins in Latin: flamma meant “flame.” Related to 'flagrare', to blaze, the root of 'flagrant'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as flamme. Used of love and passion. It reached English by 1300s as flame. 'old flame' for a former lover dates from the 1600s. Today, flame means a hot glowing body of burning gas.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient flamma "flame", related to 'flagrare', to blaze, the root of 'flagrant'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval flamme "flame", used of love and passion.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s flame "flame", 'old flame' for a former lover dates from the 1600s.