tire

Where does the word "tire" come from? It comes from Old French atirier, passing through Middle English before entering English (1480s).

Tire’s story begins in Old French: atirier meant “to equip.” To equip or arrange. By 1300s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as tire. Short for 'attire': equipment, dress. It reached English by 1480s as tire. The iron rim was the wheel's 'attire'; rubber tyres followed in the 1800s, when Britain revived the spelling 'tyre'. Today, tire means a rubber covering fitted round a wheel.

1. Stage 1 · Old French · medieval atirier "to equip", to equip or arrange.
2. Stage 2 · Middle English · 1300s tire "dress, equipment", short for 'attire': equipment, dress.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1480s tire "wheel rim", the iron rim was the wheel's 'attire'; rubber tyres followed in the 1800s, when Britain revived the spelling 'tyre'.