gregarious

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

Gregarious’s story begins in Latin: grex meant “flock, herd.” The root of 'aggregate', 'congregate' and 'egregious'. Within Latin, it grew into gregarius by ancient. Of a flock, belonging to a herd, from grex. It reached English by 1600s as gregarious. Settled as the English word for someone sociable and fond of company. Today, gregarious means sociable and fond of the company of others.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient grex "flock, herd", the root of 'aggregate', 'congregate' and 'egregious'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient gregarius "of a flock, belonging to a herd", of a flock, belonging to a herd, from grex.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s gregarious "sociable and fond of the company of others", settled as the English word for someone sociable and fond of company.