balance

balance · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
2. Proto-Indo-European*dwi-
3. Proto-Italic*dwi-
4. Latinbi-
5. Latinlanx
6. Latinbilanx
7. Vulgar Latin*bilancia
8. Old Frenchbalance
9. Middle Englishbalaunce
10. English todaybalance

From Middle English balaunce, from Old French balance, from Late Latin *bilancia, from (accusative form of) Latin bilanx (“two-scaled”), from bi- + lanx (“plate, scale”). Displaced the word — Old English wǣġ akin to Modern English: wey from Proto-West Germanic *wāgu (“scales; weight”).

Balance · proper noun²

1. Latin · calque ofLibra
2. English todayBalance

Calque of Latin Libra.

Words from the same roots