Etymology Map
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Quality

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means how good something is

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
qualitas
Latin · ancient
"what sort"
coined by Cicero from 'qualis', of what kind, to translate Greek 'poiotēs'
2
Stage 2 of 3
qualité
Old French · medieval
"nature, kind"
a characteristic
3
Stage 3 of 3
quality
English · 1200s
"characteristic"
'quality control' dates from the 1900s
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Read the full story

Quality’s story begins in Latin: qualitas meant “what sort.” Coined by Cicero from 'qualis', of what kind, to translate Greek 'poiotēs'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as qualité. A characteristic. It reached English by 1200s as quality. 'quality control' dates from the 1900s. Today, quality means how good something is.