protect

Where does the word "protect" come from? It comes from Latin protegere, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

Protect’s story begins in Latin: protegere meant “to cover in front.” 'pro-', before, plus 'tegere', to cover. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as proteger. Latin 'protegere' meant to cover in front, from 'tegere', to cover, a root shared with 'thatch'. It reached English by 1400s as protect. 'protective custody' dates from the 1900s. Today, protect means to keep safe from harm.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient protegere "to cover in front", 'pro-', before, plus 'tegere', to cover.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval proteger "to protect", Latin 'protegere' meant to cover in front, from 'tegere', to cover, a root shared with 'thatch'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s protect "to shield", 'protective custody' dates from the 1900s.