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Where does the word "tour" come from? It comes from Latin tornus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "tour" come from? It comes from Latin tornus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Tour’s story begins in Latin: tornus meant “lathe.” From Greek 'tornos', a tool for drawing circles. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as tour. A turning around. It reached English by 1300s as tour. The 'Grand Tour' of European travel dates from the 1600s. Today, tour means a journey visiting several places.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient tornus "lathe", from Greek 'tornos', a tool for drawing circles.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval tour "turn, circuit", a turning around.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s tour "a turn", the 'Grand Tour' of European travel dates from the 1600s.