reclaim

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

Reclaim’s story begins in Latin: reclamare meant “to cry out against, to protest.” To cry out against, to protest, from re- (against) and clamare (to shout). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as reclamer. Carried into French for demanding something back. It reached English by 1300s as reclaim. Settled as the English word for getting something back or restoring land. Today, reclaim means to get something back, or to make land usable again.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient reclamare "to cry out against, to protest", to cry out against, to protest, from re- (against) and clamare (to shout).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval reclamer "to demand something back", carried into French for demanding something back.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s reclaim "to get something back, or to restore land for use", settled as the English word for getting something back or restoring land.