quit

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

Quit’s story begins in Latin: quies meant “rest, repose.” Rest, repose, giving rise to quietus (at rest, free). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as quiter. Carried into French for setting someone free from an obligation, from quietus. It reached English by 1200s as quit. Settled as the English word for stopping an action or leaving a job or place. Today, quit means to stop doing something, or to leave a job, place, or activity.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient quies "rest, repose", rest, repose, giving rise to quietus (at rest, free).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval quiter "to set someone free from an obligation", carried into French for setting someone free from an obligation, from quietus.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s quit "to stop doing something, or to leave a job or place", settled as the English word for stopping an action or leaving a job or place.