fruit

Where does the word "fruit" come from? It comes from Latin fructus, passing through Old French before entering English (1100s).

Fruit’s story begins in Latin: fructus meant “enjoyment, produce.” From 'frui', to enjoy. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as fruit. Any produce of the earth. It reached English by 1100s as fruit. 'fruitful' and 'fruition' followed. Today, fruit means the sweet, seed-bearing part of a plant.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient fructus "enjoyment, produce", from 'frui', to enjoy.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval fruit "fruit", any produce of the earth.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1100s fruit "produce of plants", 'fruitful' and 'fruition' followed.