approach
əˈprōCH
verb
Origin
Latin
appropio — to bring near
Overview
Meaning Now
- to come nearer to something in space, time, or relationship
- to deal with or tackle a problem or subject
Language path
Indo-European → Proto-Indo-European → Germanic → Old English → Middle English → Modern English
Earliest form
approchen
Earliest period
Middle English (c. 1300)
Journey
Entered English after the Norman Conquest via Old French *aprochier*, itself a derivative of Latin *appropiāre* (from *prope* ‘near’).
Evolution
- Middle English (c. 1300‑1500)
approchen / aprochen
“to come or go near, to draw close”
borrowed from Old French *aprochier*
- Late Middle English (c. 1500‑1600)
approche
“the act of coming near; arrival”
first recorded as a noun
- Early Modern English (c. 1600‑1800)
approach
“to draw nearer; to deal with a matter”
standardized spelling and broadened senses
- Contemporary English
approach
“verb and noun with the senses above”
Connections
Word parts
appro-
root
near, close
-ach
suffix
verb-forming element from Old French
Related across languages
French
approcher
to come near
Spanish
aprochar
to approach
Explore next
Related to approach
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.