visit

The story

1. French · borrowed fromvisite
2. Latin · derived fromvīsitō
3. Old French · derived fromvisiter
4. Middle English · inherited fromvisiten
5. English todayvisit

From Middle English visiten, from Old French visiter, from Latin vīsitō, frequentative of vīsō (“behold, survey”), from videō (“see”). Cognate with Old Saxon wīsōn (“to visit, afflict”), archaic German weisen (“to visit, afflict”). Displaced native Old English sēċan (“to visit”) and sōcn (“a visit”). The noun is from French visite or the verb. Doublet of visite.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 13th c. To habitually go to (someone in distress, sickness etc.) to comfort them. (Now generally merged into later senses, below.)
• from 14th c. To go and meet (a person) as an act of friendliness or sociability.
• from 13th c. Of God: to appear to (someone) to comfort, bless, or chastise or punish them. (Now generally merged into later senses, below.)
• from 14th c. To punish, to inflict harm upon (someone or something).
• from 14th c. Of a sickness, misfortune etc.: to afflict (someone).
• from 14th c. To inflict punishment, vengeance for (an offense) on or upon someone.
• from 14th c. To go to (a shrine, temple etc.) for worship. (Now generally merged into later senses, below.)
• from 15th c. To go to (a place) for pleasure, on an errand, etc.