routine

Where does the word "routine" come from? It comes from Latin rumpere, passing through French before entering English (1670s).

Routine’s story begins in Latin: rumpere meant “to break.” The verb 'to break', applied to a road broken or cut through a forest. By 1100s, the word had taken hold in French as route. From rupta (via), literally '(a road) broken open'. By 1500s, French speakers had reshaped it into routine. Route plus the suffix -ine, coined for a habitual, well-worn course of action. It reached English by 1670s as routine. Adopted for any fixed, habitual way of doing things. Today, routine means a fixed, regular way of doing things.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient rumpere "to break", the verb 'to break', applied to a road broken or cut through a forest.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1100s route "a way, path, course", from rupta (via), literally '(a road) broken open'.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1500s routine "a customary, mechanical course of action", route plus the suffix -ine, coined for a habitual, well-worn course of action.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1670s routine "a fixed, regular way of doing things", adopted for any fixed, habitual way of doing things.