torch

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

Torch’s story begins in Latin: torquere meant “to twist.” Twisted strands of tow soaked in pitch. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as torche. A twisted bundle burned for light. It reached English by 1200s as torch. British English uses it for a battery flashlight. Today, torch means a portable light.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient torquere "to twist", twisted strands of tow soaked in pitch.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval torche "torch", a twisted bundle burned for light.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s torch "a flaming light", British English uses it for a battery flashlight.