Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Drag to rotate
Tracing “”…
Where does the word "unit" come from? It comes from Latin unitas, passing through Old French before entering English (1570s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "unit" come from? It comes from Latin unitas, passing through Old French before entering English (1570s).
Unit’s story begins in Latin: unitas meant “oneness.” From 'unus', one. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as unité. Gave English 'unity'. It reached English by 1570s as unit. John Dee coined 'unit' from 'unity' in 1570 to translate Euclid. Today, unit means a single thing; a standard quantity.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient unitas "oneness", from 'unus', one.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval unité "oneness", gave English 'unity'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1570s unit "a single thing", John Dee coined 'unit' from 'unity' in 1570 to translate Euclid.