Etymology Map
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Pace

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a single step; speed of movement

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
passus
Latin · ancient
"step, stride"
from 'pandere', to stretch out: a stretch of the legs
2
Stage 2 of 3
pas
Old French · medieval
"step"
a Roman 'mille passus', a thousand paces, gave 'mile'
3
Stage 3 of 3
pace
English · 1200s
"step"
'keep pace' dates from the 1500s
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Read the full story

Pace’s story begins in Latin: passus meant “step, stride.” From 'pandere', to stretch out: a stretch of the legs. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as pas. A Roman 'mille passus', a thousand paces, gave 'mile'. It reached English by 1200s as pace. 'keep pace' dates from the 1500s. Today, pace means a single step; speed of movement.