labor

Where does the word "labor" come from? It comes from Latin labor, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

Labor’s story begins in Latin: labor meant “toil.” Possibly from 'labare', to totter under a burden; Virgil's Georgics declares 'labor omnia vicit improbus', relentless toil conquered all. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as labour. Hard work, especially ploughing; modern French labourer still means 'to plough'. It reached English by 1300s as labor. The political 'Labour' movement dates from the 1800s, and Britain's Labour Party took its name in 1906; Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary made 'labor' the American spelling. Today, labor means work, especially hard physical work.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient labor "toil", possibly from 'labare', to totter under a burden; Virgil's Georgics declares 'labor omnia vicit improbus', relentless toil conquered all.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval labour "toil", hard work, especially ploughing; modern French labourer still means 'to plough'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s labor "toil", the political 'Labour' movement dates from the 1800s, and Britain's Labour Party took its name in 1906; Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary made 'labor' the American spelling.