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Where does the word "insist" come from? It comes from Latin insistere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "insist" come from? It comes from Latin insistere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).
Insist’s story begins in Latin: insistere meant “to stand upon, to press firmly.” To stand upon, to press firmly, from in- (upon) and sistere (to stand). It reached English by 1400s as insist. Settled as the English word for demanding something firmly. Today, insist means to demand something firmly, refusing to accept refusal or contradiction.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient insistere "to stand upon, to press firmly", to stand upon, to press firmly, from in- (upon) and sistere (to stand).
- Stage 2 · English · 1400s insist "to demand something firmly, refusing to accept a refusal", settled as the English word for demanding something firmly.