Etymology Map
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Grammar

4 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means the rules of how words are combined in a language

Where does the word "grammar" come from? It comes from Greek grammatikē, passing through Latin and Middle English before entering English (1500s).

1
Stage 1 of 4
grammatikē
Greek · ancient
"art of letters"
from 'gramma', letter; the art of letters
2
Stage 2 of 4
grammatica
Latin · ancient
"grammar"
meant Latin learning in general
3
Stage 3 of 4
gramarye
Middle English · 1300s
"learning; magic"
learning was associated with magic, giving 'gramarye' and later 'glamour'
4
Stage 4 of 4
grammar
English · 1500s
"rules of language"
'grammar school' originally taught Latin grammar
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Read the full story

Grammar’s story begins in Greek: grammatikē meant “art of letters.” From 'gramma', letter; the art of letters. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as grammatica. Meant Latin learning in general. From there it passed into Middle English as gramarye by 1300s. Learning was associated with magic, giving 'gramarye' and later 'glamour'. It reached English by 1500s as grammar. 'grammar school' originally taught Latin grammar. Today, grammar means the rules of how words are combined in a language.