Etymology Map
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Retire

3 stages from Old French to English.

Today it means to leave one's job and stop working

Where does the word "retire" come from? It comes from Old French tirer, passing through French before entering English (1530s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
tirer
Old French · medieval
"to draw"
an Old French verb of uncertain origin
2
Stage 2 of 3
retirer
French · 1500s
"to withdraw"
French 'retirer', to draw back, from 'tirer', to pull; in English it was first said of armies retreating, in the 1530s
3
Stage 3 of 3
retire
English · 1530s
"to withdraw"
the sense 'stop working for good' dates from the 1600s
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Read the full story

Retire’s story begins in Old French: tirer meant “to draw.” An Old French verb of uncertain origin. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as retirer. French 'retirer', to draw back, from 'tirer', to pull; in English it was first said of armies retreating, in the 1530s. It reached English by 1530s as retire. The sense 'stop working for good' dates from the 1600s. Today, retire means to leave one's job and stop working.