student

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

Student’s story begins in Latin: studens meant “eager, applying oneself.” 'being eager', from studere; Cicero's speech Pro Archia praises literary studia that 'nourish youth and delight old age'. By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Old French as estudiant. After a tavern brawl in 1229, Paris's students and masters went on a two-year strike and left the city. It reached English by 1400s as student. Middle English 'studient' was respelled after Latin studentem; Chaucer's Clerk of Oxenford is the model poor student. Today, student means a person studying at a school, college or university.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · classical studens "eager, applying oneself", 'being eager', from studere; Cicero's speech Pro Archia praises literary studia that 'nourish youth and delight old age'.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · 1200s estudiant "student", after a tavern brawl in 1229, Paris's students and masters went on a two-year strike and left the city.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s student "one who studies", Middle English 'studient' was respelled after Latin studentem; Chaucer's Clerk of Oxenford is the model poor student.