English
gospel
Gospel comes from Middle English gospel ‘a gospel’, and goes back to Old English godspell.
- Old Englishc. 450–1150godspell
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gospel‘a gospel’
- Englishearliest quotation 1881same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Englishc. 450–1150godspell
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gospel‘a gospel’
- Englishearliest quotation 1881same form
Earliest quotation: 1881, George Saintsbury: “If any one thinks this expression hyperbolical, I shall…”
The story
From Middle English gospel, gospell, godspel, godspell, goddspell, from Old English godspell (‘gospel’), corresponding to God + spell (‘talk, tale, story’), literally “the message of God”, believed to be an alteration of earlier *gōdspell (literally “good news”), used to translate ecclesiastical Latin bona annūntiātiō, itself a translation of Ecclesiastical Latin ēvangelium / Ancient Greek εὐαγγέλιον (euangélion, “evangel”, literally “good news”) (English evangel).
Linked words
pairs
- gospel and spell both from Old English spell
Every English word from Old English godspell
Another origin of gospel
- Old Englishc. 450–1150godspellian‘to preach the gospel, evangelise’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gospellen
- Englishtodaygospel
Today it means
noun The first section of the Christian New Testament scripture, comprising the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, concerned with the birth, ministry, passion, and resurrection of Jesus.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old English godspell / gospel