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Today it means

install

to put in place for use

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Where does the word "install" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin stallum, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

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Where does the word "install" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin stallum, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

Install’s story begins in Medieval Latin: stallum meant “seat in a choir.” A Medieval Latin word from Germanic 'stall', place. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as installer. A new canon was installed by being led to his choir stall. It reached English by 1400s as install. Software 'installation' dates from the 1900s. Today, install means to put in place for use.

  1. Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval stallum "seat in a choir", a Medieval Latin word from Germanic 'stall', place.
  2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval installer "to install", a new canon was installed by being led to his choir stall.
  3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s install "to place in office", software 'installation' dates from the 1900s.

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