perform

Where does the word "perform" come from? It comes from Old French fournir, passing through Old French and Anglo-French before entering English (1300s).

Perform’s story begins in Old French: fournir meant “to furnish, to accomplish.” To furnish, to accomplish, combined with par- (thoroughly). Within Old French, it grew into parfournir by medieval. To complete thoroughly, from par- and fournir. From there it passed into Anglo-French as performen by medieval. Altered by association with the word form, for carrying out a task. It reached English by 1300s as perform. Settled as the English word for carrying out an action or entertaining an audience. Today, perform means to carry out an action or task, or to entertain an audience.

1. Stage 1 · Old French · medieval fournir "to furnish, to accomplish", to furnish, to accomplish, combined with par- (thoroughly).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval parfournir "to complete thoroughly", to complete thoroughly, from par- and fournir.
3. Stage 3 · Anglo-French · medieval performen "to carry out a task", altered by association with the word form, for carrying out a task.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s perform "to carry out an action, or to entertain an audience", settled as the English word for carrying out an action or entertaining an audience.