Etymology Map
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Lesson

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a period of teaching; something learned

Where does the word "lesson" come from? It comes from Latin lectio, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
lectio
Latin · ancient
"a reading"
from 'legere', to read, the root of 'lecture'
2
Stage 2 of 3
leçon
Old French · medieval
"a reading"
Bible readings in church are still 'lessons'
3
Stage 3 of 3
lesson
English · 1200s
"a reading"
the sense 'something learned' came in the 1300s
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Read the full story

Lesson’s story begins in Latin: lectio meant “a reading.” From 'legere', to read, the root of 'lecture'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as leçon. Bible readings in church are still 'lessons'. It reached English by 1200s as lesson. The sense 'something learned' came in the 1300s. Today, lesson means a period of teaching; something learned.