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Where does the word "visit" come from? It comes from Latin visitare, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "visit" come from? It comes from Latin visitare, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Visit’s story begins in Latin: visitare meant “to go to see.” A frequentative of 'visere', to look at. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as visiter. Used for bishops inspecting parishes. It reached English by 1200s as visit. Originally God's 'visitation' of blessing or punishment. Today, visit means to go to see someone or somewhere.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient visitare "to go to see", a frequentative of 'visere', to look at.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval visiter "to visit", used for bishops inspecting parishes.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s visit "to go to see", originally God's 'visitation' of blessing or punishment.