English
approach
Approach comes from Middle English aprochen, from Old French aprochier, from Late Latin appropiō, a verb based on Latin prope ‘near’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprope‘near’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEappropiō‘to approach’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400aprochier‘to approach’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500aprochen
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606approach
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprope‘near’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEappropiō‘to approach’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400aprochier‘to approach’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500aprochen
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606approach
Earliest quotation: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, London: […] Nathaniel Butter: “Approach thou beacon [the Sun] to this vnder gloabe,…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pro- ‘toward, forward’
from, purchase, fret, protrude, 7 more
through Latin prope ‘near’
through Old French aprochier ‘to approach’
Another origin of approach
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500approche‘approach, arrival’
- Englishtodayapproach
Today it means
verb To come or go near, in place or time; to move toward; to advance nearer; to draw nigh.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin prope / approach