print

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

Print’s story begins in Latin: premere meant “to press.” The root of 'press', 'impress' and 'pressure'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as preinte. Pressed, a mark made by pressing, from premere. It reached English by 1300s as print. Settled as the English word for a mark made by pressure, and later text reproduced this way. Today, print means text or images reproduced on paper by a printing process, or a mark made by pressure.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient premere "to press", the root of 'press', 'impress' and 'pressure'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval preinte "pressed, a mark made by pressing", pressed, a mark made by pressing, from premere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s print "a mark made by pressure, or text reproduced this way", settled as the English word for a mark made by pressure, and later text reproduced this way.