change
/tʃeɪndʒ/
verb
Origin
Latin
cambire — to exchange, barter
Overview
Meaning Now
- to make or become different
- to replace something with something else
- the act of altering or modifying
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
chaunge
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The word entered English following the Norman Conquest, reflecting the strong influence of French administrative and commercial vocabulary on the English language during the Middle Ages.
Evolution
- Latin
cambire
“to barter or exchange”
- Old French
changier
“to exchange, alter”
- Middle English
chaungen
“to exchange, to alter”
- Modern English
change
“to become different”
Connections
Word parts
change
root
alteration or exchange
Related across languages
French
changer
to change
Spanish
cambiar
to change
Italian
cambiare
to change
Explore next
Related to change
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.