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Poet

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a person who writes poems

Where does the word "poet" come from? It comes from Greek poiētēs, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

poiētēs→poete→poet

Greek · ancient

Greek, from 'poiein', to make

Old French · medieval

came via Latin 'poeta'

English · 1300s

'poet laureate' dates from the 1400s

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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.