finance

The story

1. Latin · derived fromfīnis
2. Middle French · derived fromfinance
3. Middle English · inherited fromfinaunce
4. English todayfinance

From Middle English finaunce, fynaunce, from Anglo-Norman, Middle French finance, from finer (“to pay ransom”) (whence also English fine (“to pay a penalty”)), from fin (“end”), from Latin fīnis. Original English sense that appeared c. 1400 was “ending”. The sense of “ending or satisfying a debt” originated from French influence: in the sense of “ransom” appeared in the mid 15th century, in the sense of “taxation” appeared in the late 15th century. In the sense of “manage money” first recorded c. 1770.

Words from the same roots