EtymologyMap
Back to all words

Trace the journey of words

Today it means

instruct

to teach someone, or to give them an authoritative direction

Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Drag to rotate

Where does the word "instruct" come from? It comes from Latin instruere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "instruct" come from? It comes from Latin instruere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Instruct’s story begins in Latin: instruere meant “to build into, to equip.” To build into, to equip, from in- (into) and struere (to build). It reached English by 1400s as instruct. Settled as the English word for teaching or directing someone. Today, instruct means to teach someone, or to give them an authoritative direction.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient instruere "to build into, to equip", to build into, to equip, from in- (into) and struere (to build).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s instruct "to teach or direct someone", settled as the English word for teaching or directing someone.

Browse by origin