plausible

Where does the word "plausible" come from? It comes from Latin plaudere, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Plausible’s story begins in Latin: plaudere meant “to clap, to applaud.” The root of 'applaud' and 'explode', which first meant to clap a player off stage. Within Latin, it grew into plausibilis by ancient. Deserving applause, praiseworthy, from plaudere. It reached English by 1500s as plausible. Settled as the English word for something that seems reasonable or believable. Today, plausible means seeming reasonable, likely, or believable.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient plaudere "to clap, to applaud", the root of 'applaud' and 'explode', which first meant to clap a player off stage.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient plausibilis "deserving applause, praiseworthy", deserving applause, praiseworthy, from plaudere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s plausible "seeming reasonable or believable", settled as the English word for something that seems reasonable or believable.