English
practice
Practice comes from Middle English practice, from the verb practicen, from Middle French practiser, an alteration of practiquer.
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600practiser
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500practicen
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500practice
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1587same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600practiser
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500practicen
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500practice
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1587same form
Earliest quotation: a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., (please specify the folio): “He sought to have that by practice which he…”
The story
The noun is from Middle English practice, practique, practyse, from the verb; also compare Medieval Latin prāctica.. The spelling practice is attested once in Middle English for both the noun and the verb. The noun began to be assimilated in spelling to nouns in -ice; practise (noun) is now obsolete.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *per-
first, before, support, far, per, report, further, private, fear, opportunity, press, port, primary, pre, prior, prime, appreciate, price, afford, ford, forth, pregnant, prize, precious, par, privilege, ferry, interpretation, parade, fare, praise, porch, pardon, pirate, prix, primitive, peril, interpreter, afar, pore, 158 more
Today it means
noun Repetition of an activity to improve a skill.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle French practiser / practice