Etymology Map
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Paint

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means coloured liquid; to cover with it

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
pingere
Latin · ancient
"to paint"
the same root as 'picture' and 'pigment'
2
Stage 2 of 3
peint
Old French · medieval
"painted"
the past participle became the English verb
3
Stage 3 of 3
paint
English · 1200s
"to apply colour"
'paint the town red' dates from the 1880s
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Read the full story

Paint’s story begins in Latin: pingere meant “to paint.” The same root as 'picture' and 'pigment'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as peint. The past participle became the English verb. It reached English by 1200s as paint. 'paint the town red' dates from the 1880s. Today, paint means coloured liquid; to cover with it.