foundry

Where does the word "foundry" come from? It comes from Latin fundere, passing through French before entering English (1600s).

Foundry’s story begins in Latin: fundere meant “to pour, to melt metal.” The root of 'fuse', 'confound' and 'refund'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in French as fondre. Carried into French for melting metal to be cast. By 1600s, French speakers had reshaped it into fonderie. A place for melting and casting metal, from fondre. It reached English by 1600s as foundry. Settled as the English word for a workshop where metal is cast. Today, foundry means a workshop or factory where metal is melted and cast into shapes.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient fundere "to pour, to melt metal", the root of 'fuse', 'confound' and 'refund'.
2. Stage 2 · French · medieval fondre "to melt metal to be cast", carried into French for melting metal to be cast.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1600s fonderie "a place for melting and casting metal", a place for melting and casting metal, from fondre.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1600s foundry "a workshop where metal is melted and cast into shapes", settled as the English word for a workshop where metal is cast.