Etymology

apply

ap·ply
A1P3P3L1Y4

Today it means: To lay or place; to put (one thing to another) Full definition →

Middle English aplien ← Old French applier ← Latin applicō
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apply · verb1

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂éd
  2. Proto-Italic*ad
  3. Proto-Italic*ad-
  4. Latinad-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*pel-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*pleḱ-
  7. Latinplicō
  8. Latinapplicō
  9. Old Frenchapplier
  10. Middle Englishaplien
  11. English todayapply

Inherited from Middle English aplien, borrowed from Old French applier, from Latin applicō, from ad- + plicō (“fold; arrive”). See applicant, ply.

apply · adjective2

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ébōl
  2. Proto-Germanic*aplaz
  3. Proto-West Germanic*applu
  4. Old Englishæppel
  5. Middle Englishappel
  6. Englishapple
  7. English todayapply

From apple + -y.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.