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Where does the word "poet" come from? It comes from Greek poiētēs, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "poet" come from? It comes from Greek poiētēs, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Poet’s story begins in Greek: poiētēs meant “maker.” Greek, from 'poiein', to make. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as poete. Came via Latin 'poeta'. It reached English by 1300s as poet. 'poet laureate' dates from the 1400s. Today, poet means a person who writes poems.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient poiētēs "maker", Greek, from 'poiein', to make.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval poete "poet", came via Latin 'poeta'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s poet "poet", 'poet laureate' dates from the 1400s.