restore

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

Restore’s story begins in Latin: stare meant “to stand.” To stand, root behind instaurare (to renew, set up again). Within Latin, it grew into restaurare by ancient. To rebuild, to renew, from re- (again) and staurare (to erect, related to stare). From there it passed into Old French as restorer by medieval. Carried into French for bringing something back to its former condition. It reached English by 1300s as restore. Settled as the English word for bringing something back to a former state. Today, restore means to bring something back to its former condition, state, or position.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient stare "to stand", to stand, root behind instaurare (to renew, set up again).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient restaurare "to rebuild, to renew", to rebuild, to renew, from re- (again) and staurare (to erect, related to stare).
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval restorer "to bring something back to its former condition", carried into French for bringing something back to its former condition.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s restore "to bring something back to a former, better state", settled as the English word for bringing something back to a former state.