core

core · noun, adjective, verb¹

1. Old English · inherited from*cor
2. Middle English · inherited fromcore
3. English todaycore

From Middle English core, kore, coor (“apple-core, pith”), of obscure and uncertain origin. Possibly of native English origin, from Old English *cor, related to Old English *coruc, *corc (diminutive) (> Middle English cork, crok (“core of an apple or other fruit, heart of an onion”)) and Old English corn (“seed", also "grain”); or alternatively perhaps from Old French cuer (“heart”), from Latin cor (“heart”); or from Old French cors (“body”), from Latin corpus (“body”). Compare also Middle English colk, coke, coll (“the heart or centre of an apple or onion, core”), Dutch kern (“core”), German Kern (“core”). See also heart, corpse. Compare typologically Russian серде́чник (serdéčnik), сердцеви́на (serdcevína)) (akin to се́рдце (sérdce), cognate with heart, Latin cor).

core · noun²

See corps.

core · noun³

See chore.

core · noun⁴

1. Biblical Hebrew · borrowed fromכֹּר
2. English todaycore

From Biblical Hebrew כֹּר (kōr).

core · noun⁵

Possibly an acronym for cash on return.

core · noun⁶

From -core, ultimately from Etymology 1.

Core · proper noun⁷

1. Ancient Greek · learned borrowing fromκόρη“maiden”
2. English todayCore

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek κόρη (kórē, “maiden”).

Core · proper noun⁸

1. French · borrowed fromCoré
2. English todayCore

From French Coré.

Words from the same roots