Etymology Map
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Relic

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means an object surviving from an earlier time

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
reliquiae
Latin · ancient
"remains"
from 'relinquere', to leave behind, the root of 'relinquish'
2
Stage 2 of 3
relique
Old French · medieval
"sacred remains"
bones and belongings of saints were venerated
3
Stage 3 of 3
relic
English · 1200s
"sacred object"
applied to any survival from the past
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Read the full story

Relic’s story begins in Latin: reliquiae meant “remains.” From 'relinquere', to leave behind, the root of 'relinquish'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as relique. Bones and belongings of saints were venerated. It reached English by 1200s as relic. Applied to any survival from the past. Today, relic means an object surviving from an earlier time.