English
exchange
Exchange comes from Old French eschange, from Vulgar Latin *excambiō ‘to exchange’, from Latin cambium, and ultimately from Proto-Celtic *kambos ‘crooked’.
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*kambos‘twisted, crooked’reconstructed
- Gaulishc. 500 BCE–500 CEcambion‘bent, crooked’yo-stem derivative of *kambos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcambium‘a change, exchange’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcambiō‘to exchange’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*excambiōreconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400eschangier
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400eschange‘exchange’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400eschaunge
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘trade’
- Englishearliest quotation 1598–1599exchange
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*kambos‘twisted, crooked’reconstructed
- Gaulishc. 500 BCE–500 CEcambion‘bent, crooked’yo-stem derivative of *kambos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcambium‘a change, exchange’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcambiō‘to exchange’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*excambiōreconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400eschangier
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400eschange‘exchange’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400eschaunge
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘trade’
- Englishearliest quotation 1598–1599exchange
Earliest quotation: 1598–1599, Much Adoe about Nothing: “Lady, as you are mine, I am yours, I…”
The story
Spelling later changed on the basis of ex-, with pronunciation following.
Linked words
through Proto-Celtic *kambos ‘twisted, crooked’
through Gaulish cambion ‘bent, crooked’
through Latin cambium
through Late Latin cambiō ‘to exchange, barter’
through Latin ex
ex, squash, extort, extenuating, affray, enunciation, excommunicate, 11 more
Another origin of exchange
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)ḱh₂mbósuncertain
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*kambos‘twisted, crooked’reconstructed
- Gaulishc. 500 BCE–500 CEcambion‘bent, crooked’yo-stem derivative of *kambos
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcambium
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcambiō‘to exchange, barter’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEex
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*excambiārereconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400eschaungier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500eschaungen‘to exchange or swap’
- Englishtodayexchange
Gradually displaced native Old English wrixlan, wixlan (‘to change, exchange, reciprocate’) and its descendants, wrixle being one of them.
Today it means
noun An act of exchanging or trading.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Celtic *kambos / exchange