orienteering

Where does the word "orienteering" come from? It comes from Latin oriēns, passing through Swedish before entering English (1940s).

Orienteering’s story begins in Latin: oriēns meant “the east.” Rising, the east, where the sun rises. By 1880s, the word had taken hold in Swedish as orientering. Used in military training; Norway held the first public competition in 1897, and Ernst Killander popularized the sport in Sweden from 1919. It reached English by 1940s as orienteering. Borrowed as the Scandinavian sport spread abroad. Today, orienteering means a sport of navigating across country with a map and compass.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient oriēns "the east", rising, the east, where the sun rises.
2. Stage 2 · Swedish · 1880s orientering "orienteering", used in military training; Norway held the first public competition in 1897, and Ernst Killander popularized the sport in Sweden from 1919.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1940s orienteering "map-and-compass racing", borrowed as the Scandinavian sport spread abroad.