English
trover
Trover comes from Old French trover ‘to find’, and goes back to Vulgar Latin *tropāre.
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*tropāre‘find’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400trover‘to find’
- Englishearliest quotation 1749same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*tropāre‘find’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400trover‘to find’
- Englishearliest quotation 1749same form
Earliest quotation: 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones: “The pocket-book was a late present from Mrs Western…”
The story
Nominal use of Old French trover (‘to find’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *trep- ‘to turn’
thrive, intrepid, trepidation, turpitude, 30 more
through Ancient Greek τρέπω ‘turn, divert, turn back, rout an enemy’
through Latin tropus ‘figurative use of a word’
through Vulgar Latin *tropāre ‘find’
through Old French trover ‘to find’
Today it means
noun Taking possession of personal property which has been found.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Vulgar Latin *tropāre / trover