English
enjoy
Enjoy comes from Middle English enjoyen, and goes back to Old French enjoier.
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400enjoier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500enjoyen
- Englishearliest quotation 1611enjoy
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400enjoier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500enjoyen
- Englishearliest quotation 1611enjoy
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “that the children of Israel may enjoy every man…”
Latin gaudeō ‘to be glad, rejoice’
Latin gaudium
Late Latin gaudia
Old French joie
Middle English joye ‘joy’
English joy
Every English word from Old French enjoier
Today it means
verb To receive pleasure or satisfaction from something.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old French enjoier / enjoy