English
plead
Plead comes from Old French plaider ‘to plead, offer a plea’, from plait ‘agreement’, and ultimately from Medieval Latin placeō ‘to please’.
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500placeō‘to please’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500placitum‘a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc.", in Classical Latin, "an opinion, determination’past participle of placeō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400plait‘agreement’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400plaider‘to plead, offer a plea’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500pleden
- Englishearliest quotation 1611plead
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500placeō‘to please’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500placitum‘a decree, sentence, suit, plea, etc.", in Classical Latin, "an opinion, determination’past participle of placeō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400plait‘agreement’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400plaider‘to plead, offer a plea’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500pleden
- Englishearliest quotation 1611plead
Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “O that one might plead for a man with…”
Linked words
through Medieval Latin placeō ‘to please’
please, pleasure, placebo, placid, pleasance, 6 more
through Middle English pleden
Today it means
verb To present (an argument or a plea), especially in a legal case.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Medieval Latin placeō / plead