request

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

Request’s story begins in Latin: quaerere meant “to seek.” To seek, combined with re- (again). Within Latin, it grew into requirere by ancient. To seek again, to ask for, from re- and quaerere. From there it passed into Old French as requeste by medieval. Carried into French for a formal asking for something. It reached English by 1300s as request. Settled as the English word for a polite or formal asking for something. Today, request means a polite or formal act of asking for something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient quaerere "to seek", to seek, combined with re- (again).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient requirere "to seek again, to ask for", to seek again, to ask for, from re- and quaerere.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval requeste "a formal asking for something", carried into French for a formal asking for something.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s request "a polite or formal asking for something", settled as the English word for a polite or formal asking for something.