renovate

Where does the word "renovate" come from? It comes from Latin novus, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Renovate’s story begins in Latin: novus meant “new.” New, combined with re- (again). Within Latin, it grew into renovare by ancient. To make new again, to restore, from re- and novus. It reached English by 1500s as renovate. Settled as the English word for restoring something to a good state of repair. Today, renovate means to restore something, especially a building, to a good state of repair.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient novus "new", new, combined with re- (again).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient renovare "to make new again, to restore", to make new again, to restore, from re- and novus.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s renovate "to restore something to a good state of repair", settled as the English word for restoring something to a good state of repair.