tempest

Where does the word "tempest" come from? It comes from Latin tempestas, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Tempest’s story begins in Latin: tempestas meant “a period of weather, a season.” A season, a period of weather, from tempus (time). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as tempeste. Narrowed in French to mean a violent storm. It reached English by 1200s as tempest. Settled as the English word for a violent windstorm. Today, tempest means a violent storm, or figuratively, a violent outburst of emotion.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient tempestas "a period of weather, a season", a season, a period of weather, from tempus (time).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval tempeste "a violent storm", narrowed in French to mean a violent storm.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s tempest "a violent windstorm", settled as the English word for a violent windstorm.