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Where does the word "roulette" come from? It comes from Latin rotella, passing through French before entering English (1745).
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Where does the word "roulette" come from? It comes from Latin rotella, passing through French before entering English (1745).
Roulette’s story begins in Latin: rotella meant “a small wheel.” A small wheel, a diminutive of rota (wheel). By 1700s, the word had taken hold in French as roulette. Settled in French for the spinning wheel game of chance. It reached English by 1745 as roulette. French 'little wheel'; the Monte Carlo casino made it famous. Today, roulette means a casino gambling game in which a ball is spun around a numbered wheel.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient rotella "a small wheel", a small wheel, a diminutive of rota (wheel).
- Stage 2 · French · 1700s roulette "a spinning wheel game of chance", settled in French for the spinning wheel game of chance.
- Stage 3 · English · 1745 roulette "a casino game played with a spinning numbered wheel", French 'little wheel'; the Monte Carlo casino made it famous.