Etymology Map
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Random

3 stages from Old French to English.

Today it means made without method or conscious decision

Where does the word "random" come from? It comes from Old French randir, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
randir
Old French · medieval
"to run fast"
a Frankish-rooted verb for running at speed
2
Stage 2 of 3
randon
Old French · medieval
"speed, violence"
'à randon' meant at great speed, haphazardly
3
Stage 3 of 3
random
English · 1300s
"impetuosity"
the sense 'by chance' dates from the 1650s
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Read the full story

Random’s story begins in Old French: randir meant “to run fast.” A Frankish-rooted verb for running at speed. Within Old French, it grew into randon by medieval. 'à randon' meant at great speed, haphazardly. It reached English by 1300s as random. The sense 'by chance' dates from the 1650s. Today, random means made without method or conscious decision.