Etymology Map
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Narrate

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to tell a story

Where does the word "narrate" come from? It comes from Latin narrare, adopted directly into English (1650s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
narrare
Latin · ancient
"to tell"
related to 'gnarus', knowing
2
Stage 2 of 2
narrate
English · 1650s
"to tell"
'narrator' is older, from the 1500s
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Read the full story

Narrate’s story begins in Latin: narrare meant “to tell.” Related to 'gnarus', knowing. It reached English by 1650s as narrate. 'narrator' is older, from the 1500s. Today, narrate means to tell a story.