last

Where does the word "last" come from? It comes from Old English latost, passing through Middle English before entering English (1500s).

Last’s story begins in Old English: latost meant “slowest, latest.” The superlative of 'læt', slow, late: literally 'latest'. By 1100s-1400s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as last. 'latost' was worn down to 'last' by the 1200s. It reached English by 1500s as last. Unrelated to the shoemaker's 'last', from Old English 'lāst', footprint. Today, last means coming after all others.

1. Stage 1 · Old English · 700s-1000s latost "slowest, latest", the superlative of 'læt', slow, late: literally 'latest'.
2. Stage 2 · Middle English · 1100s-1400s last "final", 'latost' was worn down to 'last' by the 1200s.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s last "final", unrelated to the shoemaker's 'last', from Old English 'lāst', footprint.