horizon

Where does the word "horizon" come from? It comes from Greek horizon, passing through Latin and Old French before entering English (medieval).

Horizon’s story begins in Greek: horizon meant “the bounding line.” From "horizein" (to bound, limit). By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as horizon. Greek 'horizōn kyklos', the bounding circle, from 'horos', boundary. From there it passed into Old French as orizon by medieval. Carried the astronomical term into French. It reached English by medieval as horizon. Settled as the English word for the visible boundary of earth and sky. Today, horizon means the line at which the earth's surface and the sky appear to meet.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient horizon "the bounding line", from "horizein" (to bound, limit).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient horizon "the line bounding the visible earth", Greek 'horizōn kyklos', the bounding circle, from 'horos', boundary.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval orizon "the horizon line", carried the astronomical term into French.
4. Stage 4 · English · medieval horizon "the line where the earth meets the sky", settled as the English word for the visible boundary of earth and sky.