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Where does the word "urgent" come from? It comes from Latin urgere, passing through French before entering English (1400s).
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Where does the word "urgent" come from? It comes from Latin urgere, passing through French before entering English (1400s).
Urgent’s story begins in Latin: urgere meant “to press hard.” Related to Old English 'wrecan', to drive. By 1400s, the word had taken hold in French as urgent. Latin 'urgere' meant to press hard; English first used it in the phrase 'urgent causes', pressing matters. It reached English by 1400s as urgent. 'urgent care' dates from the 1900s. Today, urgent means requiring immediate action.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient urgere "to press hard", related to Old English 'wrecan', to drive.
- Stage 2 · French · 1400s urgent "pressing", Latin 'urgere' meant to press hard; English first used it in the phrase 'urgent causes', pressing matters.
- Stage 3 · English · 1400s urgent "pressing", 'urgent care' dates from the 1900s.