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Where does the word "survey" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin supervidere, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).
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Where does the word "survey" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin supervidere, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).
Survey’s story begins in Medieval Latin: supervidere meant “to oversee.” 'super', over, plus 'videre', to see. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as surveier. The Domesday survey of 1086 recorded English landholdings. It reached English by 1400s as survey. Opinion 'surveys' date from the 1900s. Today, survey means to look carefully at; a general view.
- Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval supervidere "to oversee", 'super', over, plus 'videre', to see.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval surveier "to oversee", the Domesday survey of 1086 recorded English landholdings.
- Stage 3 · English · 1400s survey "to oversee", opinion 'surveys' date from the 1900s.