subscribe

Where does the word "subscribe" come from? It comes from Latin subscribere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Subscribe’s story begins in Latin: subscribere meant “to write underneath, to sign.” To write underneath, to sign, from sub- (under) and scribere (to write). It reached English by 1400s as subscribe. Settled as the English word for signing one's agreement, or arranging to receive something regularly. Today, subscribe means to arrange to regularly receive a publication or service, or to express agreement.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient subscribere "to write underneath, to sign", to write underneath, to sign, from sub- (under) and scribere (to write).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s subscribe "to sign one's agreement, or to arrange to receive something regularly", settled as the English word for signing one's agreement, or arranging to receive something regularly.