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Where does the word "medicine" come from? It comes from Latin medicina, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "medicine" come from? It comes from Latin medicina, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Medicine’s story begins in Latin: medicina meant “healing art.” From 'medicus', physician, from 'mederi', to heal. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as medecine. Both the art and the remedy. It reached English by 1200s as medicine. 'a taste of your own medicine' dates from the 1800s. Today, medicine means the science of treating disease; a drug.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient medicina "healing art", from 'medicus', physician, from 'mederi', to heal.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval medecine "medicine", both the art and the remedy.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s medicine "healing", 'a taste of your own medicine' dates from the 1800s.