Etymology Map
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Local

3 stages from Late Latin to English.

Today it means relating to a particular area

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

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

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.