Etymology Map
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Sort

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a category of things; to arrange

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

1
Stage 1 of 3
sors
Latin · ancient
"lot, fortune"
the root of 'sorcerer', one who casts lots
2
Stage 2 of 3
sorte
Old French · medieval
"kind, class"
what fortune allotted you, then your kind
3
Stage 3 of 3
sort
English · 1300s
"kind"
'sort out' dates from the 1500s
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Read the full story

Sort’s story begins in Latin: sors meant “lot, fortune.” The root of 'sorcerer', one who casts lots. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as sorte. What fortune allotted you, then your kind. It reached English by 1300s as sort. 'sort out' dates from the 1500s. Today, sort means a category of things; to arrange.