Etymology Map
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Usage

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means the way a word or thing is used

Where does the word "usage" come from? It comes from Latin usus, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
usus
Latin · ancient
"use, practice"
from 'uti', to use
2
Stage 2 of 3
usage
Old French · medieval
"custom, use"
the suffix -age made a noun of 'user', to use
3
Stage 3 of 3
usage
English · 1300s
"custom"
linguistic 'usage' dates from the 1700s
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Read the full story

Usage’s story begins in Latin: usus meant “use, practice.” From 'uti', to use. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as usage. The suffix -age made a noun of 'user', to use. It reached English by 1300s as usage. Linguistic 'usage' dates from the 1700s. Today, usage means the way a word or thing is used.