Etymograph

English

sport

Sport comes from Middle English sporten, a shortening of disporten, from Anglo-Norman desporter ‘to divert, amuse’, from des- + porter ‘to carry’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘to go through, fare’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pr̥téh₂uncertain
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*portā‘gate’uncertain
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*portāō‘to carry’uncertain
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportō‘to carry, bear’
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400porter‘to carry’
  7. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400desporter‘to divert, amuse’
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500disporten‘to disport’
  9. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500sporten‘to divert’
  10. Englishearliest quotation c. 1580sport

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*per-‘to go through, fare’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pr̥téh₂uncertain
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*portā‘gate’uncertain
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*portāō‘to carry’uncertain
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportō‘to carry, bear’
  6. Old Frenchc. 842–1400porter‘to carry’
  7. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400desporter‘to divert, amuse’
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500disporten‘to disport’
  9. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500sporten‘to divert’
  10. Englishearliest quotation c. 1580sport

Earliest quotation: c. 1580, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., [The Thirde Booke] Chapter 21: “Her sports were such as carried riches of knowledge…”

The story

Replaced native English laik, lake (‘sport, fun, amusement’), and Middle English spile, spyl (‘fun, sport, play’).

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per- ‘to lead, pass over’

first, before, far, per, price, private, press, further, practice, fear, pre, primary, prime, appreciate, prize, pregnant, prior, practical, opportunity, precious, praise, afford, interpretation, privilege, parade, ford, par, ferry, pirate, fare, pardon, forth, primitive, prix, interpreter, pragmatic, privy, prism, proton, peril, 144 more

through Proto-Italic *portā ‘gate’

porch, portal, rapporteur, portico, porta, 22 more

through Proto-Italic *portāō ‘to carry’

support, report, importance, export, import, porter, rapport, deport, comport, 16 more

Today it means

noun Any activity that uses physical exertion or skills competitively under a set of rules that is not based on aesthetics.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *per- / sport

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