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Where does the word "wait" come from? It comes from Frankish wahta, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "wait" come from? It comes from Frankish wahta, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Wait’s story begins in Frankish: wahta meant “watch, guard.” A Frankish word related to 'wake' and 'watch'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as waitier. Norman French form of Parisian 'guaitier'. It reached English by 1200s as wait. 'waiter' for a restaurant server dates from the 1600s. Today, wait means to stay where one is until something happens.
- Stage 1 · Frankish · ancient wahta "watch, guard", a Frankish word related to 'wake' and 'watch'.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval waitier "to watch, lie in ambush", Norman French form of Parisian 'guaitier'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s wait "to watch; to lie in wait", 'waiter' for a restaurant server dates from the 1600s.