Etymology Map
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Perish

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to die; to rot

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
perire
Latin · ancient
"to pass away"
'per-', through, plus 'ire', to go
2
Stage 2 of 3
perir
Old French · medieval
"to perish"
its stem 'periss-' gave the English form
3
Stage 3 of 3
perish
English · 1200s
"to die"
'perishable' food dates from the 1600s
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Read the full story

Perish’s story begins in Latin: perire meant “to pass away.” 'per-', through, plus 'ire', to go. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as perir. Its stem 'periss-' gave the English form. It reached English by 1200s as perish. 'perishable' food dates from the 1600s. Today, perish means to die; to rot.