honor

Where does the word "honor" come from? It comes from Latin honor, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Honor’s story begins in Latin: honor meant “esteem; office.” 'esteem, public office'; a Roman politician climbed the cursus honorum, the fixed ladder of offices from quaestor to consul. By 1100s, the word had taken hold in Old French as honur. In the Song of Roland (c. 1100), Roland refuses to blow his horn for help because it would shame his honur. It reached English by 1200s as honour. The American spelling 'honor' was fixed by Noah Webster's dictionary of 1828, which dropped the French-style -our. Today, honor means high respect or esteem; adherence to what is right.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · classical honor "esteem; office", 'esteem, public office'; a Roman politician climbed the cursus honorum, the fixed ladder of offices from quaestor to consul.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · 1100s honur "honour, glory", in the Song of Roland (c. 1100), Roland refuses to blow his horn for help because it would shame his honur.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s honour "high respect; integrity", the American spelling 'honor' was fixed by Noah Webster's dictionary of 1828, which dropped the French-style -our.