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Where does the word "process" come from? It comes from Latin processus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "process" come from? It comes from Latin processus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Process’s story begins in Latin: processus meant “advance, progress.” From 'procedere', to go forward. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as proces. Legal proceedings. It reached English by 1300s as process. 'processor' for computers dates from the 1900s. Today, process means a series of actions toward a result.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient processus "advance, progress", from 'procedere', to go forward.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval proces "course, lawsuit", legal proceedings.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s process "course of action", 'processor' for computers dates from the 1900s.