retract

Where does the word "retract" come from? It comes from Latin retrahere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Retract’s story begins in Latin: retrahere meant “to draw back.” To draw back, from re- (back) and trahere (to draw). It reached English by 1400s as retract. Settled as the English word for withdrawing a statement, or pulling something back. Today, retract means to withdraw a previous statement, or to draw something back in.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient retrahere "to draw back", to draw back, from re- (back) and trahere (to draw).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s retract "to withdraw a statement, or to pull something back in", settled as the English word for withdrawing a statement, or pulling something back.