solder

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

Solder’s story begins in Latin: solidus meant “solid, whole.” Solid, whole, giving rise to solidare (to make solid). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as souder. Carried into French for joining metal pieces by fusing them, from solidare. It reached English by 1300s as solder. Settled as the English word for joining metal pieces with a fused metal alloy. Today, solder means to join two pieces of metal by melting a metal alloy between them.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient solidus "solid, whole", solid, whole, giving rise to solidare (to make solid).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval souder "to join metal pieces by fusing them", carried into French for joining metal pieces by fusing them, from solidare.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1300s solder "to join metal pieces using a fused metal alloy", settled as the English word for joining metal pieces with a fused metal alloy.