local

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

Local’s story begins in Late Latin: localis meant “of a place.” From 'locus', place. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as local. Its first English sense was medical: confined to one part of the body. It reached English by 1400s as local. British 'the local', a pub, dates from the 1930s. Today, local means relating to a particular area.

1. Stage 1 · Late Latin · ancient localis "of a place", from 'locus', place.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval local "local", its first English sense was medical: confined to one part of the body.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s local "of a place", British 'the local', a pub, dates from the 1930s.