Etymology Map
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Resident

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a person who lives somewhere

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

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

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.