noise

Where does the word "noise" come from? It comes from Latin nausea, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Noise’s story begins in Latin: nausea meant “seasickness.” A possible source, from Greek 'naus', ship: the uproar and distress of a ship's passengers. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as noise. Meant a loud disturbance or strife. It reached English by 1200s as noise. In science, 'noise' now means unwanted signal. Today, noise means a sound, especially a loud or unpleasant one.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient nausea "seasickness", a possible source, from Greek 'naus', ship: the uproar and distress of a ship's passengers.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval noise "uproar, quarrel", meant a loud disturbance or strife.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s noise "loud sound", in science, 'noise' now means unwanted signal.