preach

Where does the word "preach" come from? It comes from Latin praedicare, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Preach’s story begins in Latin: praedicare meant “to proclaim.” 'to proclaim publicly'; Church Latin used it for proclaiming the gospel. By 1000s, the word had taken hold in Old French as prechier. After Pope Urban II's call at Clermont in 1095, Peter the Hermit preached the First Crusade across northern France. It reached English by 1200s as preach. The Dominicans, formally the Order of Preachers, reached England in 1221. Today, preach means to deliver a religious address; to urge moral views.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · classical praedicare "to proclaim", 'to proclaim publicly'; Church Latin used it for proclaiming the gospel.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · 1000s prechier "to preach", after Pope Urban II's call at Clermont in 1095, Peter the Hermit preached the First Crusade across northern France.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s preach "to deliver a sermon", the Dominicans, formally the Order of Preachers, reached England in 1221.