raise

Where does the word "raise" come from? It comes from Old Norse reisa, passing through Middle English before entering English (1500s).

Raise’s story begins in Old Norse: reisa meant “to raise.” To make rise, the causative of 'rísa', to rise. By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as reisen. Borrowed alongside native 'rear', which comes from the same ancient root. It reached English by 1500s as raise. 'a raise' in pay is American, from the 1890s. Today, raise means to lift or move to a higher position.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval reisa "to raise", to make rise, the causative of 'rísa', to rise.
2. Stage 2 · Middle English · 1200s reisen "to raise", borrowed alongside native 'rear', which comes from the same ancient root.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s raise "to lift", 'a raise' in pay is American, from the 1890s.