Etymology Map
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Plunge

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to jump or dive quickly

Where does the word "plunge" come from? It comes from Latin plumbum, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
plumbum
Latin · ancient
"lead"
a lead weight dropped to sound water depth, the root of 'plumber'
2
Stage 2 of 3
plongier
Old French · medieval
"to dive"
sailors dropped a lead weight to measure depth, the 'plumb line'
3
Stage 3 of 3
plunge
English · 1300s
"to immerse"
'take the plunge' dates from the 1800s
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Read the full story

Plunge’s story begins in Latin: plumbum meant “lead.” A lead weight dropped to sound water depth, the root of 'plumber'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as plongier. Sailors dropped a lead weight to measure depth, the 'plumb line'. It reached English by 1300s as plunge. 'take the plunge' dates from the 1800s. Today, plunge means to jump or dive quickly.