distant etymology

Etymology

  • Origin: Latin "distans" (present participle of "distare"), meaning "to stand apart from" or "to be separated"
  • Distant (adjective):
    • Middle English "distant" (c. 1400), from Anglo-Norman French "distant," from Latin "distans"
    • Old French "destant" (12th century), directly from Latin "distans"
  • Distant (noun):
    • Late Middle English "distant" (c. 1450), from the adjective, with the sense of "something that is distant" or "a remote place"

Meaning

Adjective:

  • Located far away in space or time
  • Remote or inaccessible
  • Not closely related or connected
  • Reserved or aloof

Noun:

  • A distant place or region
  • A remote or unknown land
  • A distant relative or ancestor

Origin

  • The Latin root "distare" is a compound of "dis-" (apart) and "stare" (to stand).
  • It suggests the idea of standing apart or being separated from something.
  • The concept of distance has been a fundamental aspect of human experience, influencing language, culture, and technology.
  • Over time, the word "distant" has acquired additional meanings related to emotional, social, and intellectual separation.

distant relate terms

  • distal

    Etymology Latin distalis meaning pertaining to the farther end From Latin distare

  • distant

    Etymology Origin Latin distans present participle of distare meaning to stand a

  • equidistant

    Etymology Equidistant comes from two Latin words aequus meaning equal distans

  • equal

    Etymology Old French egal Latin aequālis Proto Indo European h₁éḱwos Meaning

  • distant

    Etymology Origin Latin distans present participle of distare meaning to stand a

  • close

    Etymology Middle English cloosen from Old English lūcan Proto Germanic lūkaną P

  • close

    Etymology Middle English cloosen from Old English lūcan Proto Germanic lūkaną P

  • remote

    Etymology The word remote comes from the Latin remotus meaning far away Meaning

  • fremd

    Etymology The English word fremd comes from the German word fremd which means stra

  • strange

    Etymology Strange Middle English strange from Old French estrange from Latin extra

  • redoubt

    Etymology Old French redoute Latin reductio a leading back Meaning A small f

  • princess

    Etymology The word princess comes from the Old French word princesse which in turn

  • aloof

    Etymology Old English ālof meaning on high or elevated Proto Germanic alēwa

  • meteor

    Etymology The word meteor is derived from the Ancient Greek word μετέωρος mete

  • stare

    Etymology The word stare comes from the Old English word starian which itself is der