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Where does the word "ignore" come from? It comes from Latin ignorare, passing through French before entering English (1610s).
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Where does the word "ignore" come from? It comes from Latin ignorare, passing through French before entering English (1610s).
Ignore’s story begins in Latin: ignorare meant “not to know.” From 'ignarus', unaware, the root of 'ignorant'. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as ignorer. Modern French still means 'not to know'. It reached English by 1610s as ignore. The sense 'to disregard deliberately' dates from the 1800s. Today, ignore means to deliberately pay no attention to.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient ignorare "not to know", from 'ignarus', unaware, the root of 'ignorant'.
- Stage 2 · French · 1500s ignorer "not to know", modern French still means 'not to know'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1610s ignore "not to know", the sense 'to disregard deliberately' dates from the 1800s.