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Tracing “”…
Where does the word "message" come from? It comes from Latin missus, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "message" come from? It comes from Latin missus, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Message’s story begins in Latin: missus meant “sent.” Past participle of 'mittere', to send, the root of 'mission'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as message. A verbal communication sent by a messenger. It reached English by 1200s as message. Text 'messages' date from the 1990s. Today, message means a communication sent to someone.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient missus "sent", past participle of 'mittere', to send, the root of 'mission'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval message "message", a verbal communication sent by a messenger.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s message "a communication", text 'messages' date from the 1990s.