Etymology Map
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Torch

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means a portable light

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

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

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.