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Where does the word "wage" come from? It comes from Frankish wadi, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
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Where does the word "wage" come from? It comes from Frankish wadi, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).
Wage’s story begins in Frankish: wadi meant “pledge.” A Frankish word related to English 'wed'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as wage. A security given for a promise. It reached English by 1300s as wage. 'wage war' keeps the old sense of pledging to fight. Today, wage means a fixed regular payment for work.
- Stage 1 · Frankish · ancient wadi "pledge", a Frankish word related to English 'wed'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval wage "pledge, payment", a security given for a promise.
- Stage 3 · English · 1300s wage "payment for work", 'wage war' keeps the old sense of pledging to fight.