rhyme

Where does the word "rhyme" come from? It comes from Greek rhythmos, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Rhyme’s story begins in Greek: rhythmos meant “measured flow.” Greek, the root of 'rhythm'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as rime. Old French verse was built on rhyme. It reached English by 1200s as rhyme. Spelled 'rime' until the 1600s, when the h and y were added to match 'rhythm'. Today, rhyme means correspondence of sound between word endings.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient rhythmos "measured flow", Greek, the root of 'rhythm'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval rime "rhyme", Old French verse was built on rhyme.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s rhyme "rhyme", spelled 'rime' until the 1600s, when the h and y were added to match 'rhythm'.