escape

The story

1. Late Latin · derived fromcappa“cape, cloak”
2. Latin · derived fromex-“out”
3. Vulgar Latin · derived from*excappāre“to escape a garment, get out of one's clothing”
4. Old Northern French · derived fromescaper
5. Middle English · inherited fromescapen
6. English todayescape

From Middle English escapen, from Anglo-Norman and Old Northern French escaper ( = Old French eschaper, modern French échapper), from Vulgar Latin *excappāre (“to escape a garment, get out of one's clothing”, literally “to free oneself from one's cape”), from Latin ex- (“out”) + Late Latin cappa (“cape, cloak”). Cognate with escapade. Also doublet of scape.

Words from the same roots