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Where does the word "gauge" come from? It comes from Frankish galga, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).
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Where does the word "gauge" come from? It comes from Frankish galga, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).
Gauge’s story begins in Frankish: galga meant “measuring rod.” A Frankish word of uncertain origin. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as gauge. Norman French form of 'jauge'. It reached English by 1400s as gauge. Railway track 'gauge' dates from the 1840s. Today, gauge means an instrument for measuring.
- Stage 1 · Frankish · ancient galga "measuring rod", a Frankish word of uncertain origin.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval gauge "standard measure", Norman French form of 'jauge'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1400s gauge "measure", railway track 'gauge' dates from the 1840s.