Etymology Map
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Polish

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to make smooth and shiny by rubbing

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
polire
Latin · ancient
"to make smooth"
the root of 'polite', literally 'polished'
2
Stage 2 of 3
poliss-
Old French · medieval
"to polish"
the stem of 'polir'
3
Stage 3 of 3
polish
English · 1300s
"to make shiny"
the figurative sense, refined manners, came in the 1500s
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Read the full story

Polish’s story begins in Latin: polire meant “to make smooth.” The root of 'polite', literally 'polished'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as poliss-. The stem of 'polir'. It reached English by 1300s as polish. The figurative sense, refined manners, came in the 1500s. Today, polish means to make smooth and shiny by rubbing.