Etymology Map
Back to all words

Sport

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a competitive physical activity

Where does the word "sport" come from? It comes from Latin deportare, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
deportare
Latin · ancient
"to carry away"
'de-', away, plus 'portare', to carry: carrying one's mind away from work
2
Stage 2 of 3
desporter
Old French · medieval
"to amuse oneself"
'disport' was shortened to 'sport'
3
Stage 3 of 3
sport
English · 1400s
"pastime"
organized 'sports' date from the 1800s
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Sport’s story begins in Latin: deportare meant “to carry away.” 'de-', away, plus 'portare', to carry: carrying one's mind away from work. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as desporter. 'disport' was shortened to 'sport'. It reached English by 1400s as sport. Organized 'sports' date from the 1800s. Today, sport means a competitive physical activity.