message

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*meyth₂-“to exchange”
2. Latin · derived frommittere“send”
3. Early Medieval Latin · derived frommissāticum
4. Old French · derived frommessage
5. Middle English · inherited frommessage
6. English todaymessage

From Middle English message, from Old French message, from Early Medieval Latin missāticum, derived from Latin mittere (“send”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- (“to exchange”). Partially displaced Old English ærende (whence errand).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 14th c. A communication, or what is communicated; any concept or information conveyed.
• from 14th c. An errand.
• from 18th c. An errand to a shop, a shopping expedition; an item of shopping; (in plural) groceries.
• from 19th c. An underlying theme or conclusion to be drawn from something.