object

Where does the word "object" come from? It comes from Latin obicere, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Object’s story begins in Latin: obicere meant “to throw against, to present.” To throw against, to present, from ob- (against) and iacere (to throw), with irregular past participle objectus. It reached English by 1300s as object. Settled as the English word for a physical thing, or to express disagreement. Today, object means a physical thing that can be seen or touched, or to express opposition to something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient obicere "to throw against, to present", to throw against, to present, from ob- (against) and iacere (to throw), with irregular past participle objectus.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s object "a physical thing, or to express disagreement", settled as the English word for a physical thing, or to express disagreement.