resident

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

Resident’s story begins in Latin: residere meant “to remain behind.” 're-' plus 'sedere', to sit. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as resident. Latin 'residere' meant to sit back down, from 'sedere', to sit; the hospital sense of 'resident' is American, from 1892. It reached English by 1300s as resident. Medical 'residents' in hospitals date from the 1900s. Today, resident means a person who lives somewhere.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient residere "to remain behind", 're-' plus 'sedere', to sit.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval resident "dwelling", Latin 'residere' meant to sit back down, from 'sedere', to sit; the hospital sense of 'resident' is American, from 1892.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s resident "dwelling", medical 'residents' in hospitals date from the 1900s.