English
development
Development comes from Old French desvelopemens ‘unrolling’.
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400desvelopemens‘unrolling’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentdéveloppement
- Englishearliest quotation 1992development
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400desvelopemens‘unrolling’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentdéveloppement
- Englishearliest quotation 1992development
Earliest quotation: 1992, Rudolf Mathias Schuster, Chicago: “Of more significance in the nature of branch development;…”
Equivalent to develop + -ment
Vulgar Latin *vloppō ‘to wrap’
Old French veloper ‘to wrap’
Old French desveloper
Middle French desveloper
French développer ‘to develop’
English develop
first attested First attested in 1756 (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1756.
Every English word from Old French desvelopemens
Today it means
noun The process of developing; growth, directed change.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old French desvelopemens / development