gorgeous

The story

1. Old French · derived fromgorge“bosom, throat”
2. Old French · derived fromgourgias
3. Middle French · derived fromgorgias“elegant, fashionable”
4. Middle English · inherited fromgorgeouse
5. English todaygorgeous

From Middle English gorgeouse, a borrowing from Middle French gorgias (“elegant, fashionable”), from Old French gourgias, gorgias (“gorgeous, gaudy, flaunting, gallant, fine”), of uncertain origin, but apparently connected with Old French gorgias (“a gorget, ruffle for the neck”), from Old French gorge (“bosom, throat”). See gorge. Semantic evolution probably akin to "swelling of the throat or bosom due to pride, bridling up" to "assume an air of importance, flaunting".

Words from the same roots