via

Where does the word "via" come from? It comes from Latin via, and was adopted directly into English (1770s).

Via’s story begins in Latin: via meant “road, way.” Roman roads like the Via Appia carried the name. It reached English by 1770s as via. Used as a preposition for 'by way of'. Today, via means travelling through; by means of.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient via "road, way", Roman roads like the Via Appia carried the name.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1770s via "by way of", used as a preposition for 'by way of'.