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Today it means

truce

an agreement to stop fighting

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Where does the word "truce" come from? It comes from Frankish treuwa, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

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Where does the word "truce" come from? It comes from Frankish treuwa, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Truce’s story begins in Frankish: treuwa meant “faith, pledge.” A Frankish word related to 'true' and 'trust'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as trieve. The medieval 'Truce of God' limited fighting. It reached English by 1200s as truce. Formed in English as a plural of 'trewe'. Today, truce means an agreement to stop fighting.

  1. Stage 1 · Frankish · ancient treuwa "faith, pledge", a Frankish word related to 'true' and 'trust'.
  2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval trieve "truce", the medieval 'Truce of God' limited fighting.
  3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s truce "truce", formed in English as a plural of 'trewe'.

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