return

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

Return’s story begins in Latin: tornare meant “to turn on a lathe.” From Greek 'tornos', lathe. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as retorner. 're-' plus 'torner'. It reached English by 1300s as return. Tax 'returns' date from the 1700s. Today, return means to come back; to give back.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient tornare "to turn on a lathe", from Greek 'tornos', lathe.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval retorner "to turn back", 're-' plus 'torner'.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s return "to come back", tax 'returns' date from the 1700s.