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Where does the word "remain" come from? It comes from Latin remanere, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).
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Where does the word "remain" come from? It comes from Latin remanere, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).
Remain’s story begins in Latin: remanere meant “to stay behind.” 're-' plus 'manere', to stay. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as remaindre. Also gave 'remainder'. It reached English by 1400s as remain. 'remains', a dead body, dates from the 1700s. Today, remain means to stay in the same place.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient remanere "to stay behind", 're-' plus 'manere', to stay.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval remaindre "to stay behind", also gave 'remainder'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1400s remain "to stay", 'remains', a dead body, dates from the 1700s.