zone

Where does the word "zone" come from? It comes from Greek zone, passing through Latin before entering English (medieval).

Zone’s story begins in Greek: zone meant “a belt, girdle; a region.” Literally "a belt" or "girdle", used for bands of the Earth's surface. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as zona. Adopted for the Earth's climatic bands. It reached English by medieval as zone. Settled as the English word for a defined area. Today, zone means an area or region distinguished from adjacent parts by a particular feature or use.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient zone "a belt, girdle; a region", literally "a belt" or "girdle", used for bands of the Earth's surface.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient zona "a region, belt of the earth", adopted for the Earth's climatic bands.
3. Stage 3 · English · medieval zone "an area with particular characteristics or use", settled as the English word for a defined area.