pension

Where does the word "pension" come from? It comes from Latin pendere, passing through Latin and Old French before entering English (1400s).

Pension’s story begins in Latin: pendere meant “to hang, to weigh, to pay out.” The root of 'pendant', 'suspend' and 'compensate'. Within Latin, it grew into pensio by ancient. A payment, a weighing out, from pendere. From there it passed into Old French as pension by medieval. Carried into French for a regular payment made to someone. It reached English by 1400s as pension. Settled as the English word for a regular payment made after retirement. Today, pension means a regular payment made to a person after retirement from work.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient pendere "to hang, to weigh, to pay out", the root of 'pendant', 'suspend' and 'compensate'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient pensio "a payment, a weighing out", a payment, a weighing out, from pendere.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval pension "a regular payment made to someone", carried into French for a regular payment made to someone.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1400s pension "a regular payment made to someone after retirement", settled as the English word for a regular payment made after retirement.