corner
/ˈkɔːrnər/
noun
Origin
Latin
cornu — horn
Overview
Meaning Now
- A place or angle where two or more sides or edges meet.
- A remote or secluded area.
- A position from which it is difficult to escape.
Literal older meaning
An angled point or projection.
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
cornere
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The word originates from the Latin 'cornu' (horn). In classical architecture and geography, corners were perceived as projections similar to the horns of an animal, leading to the development of the term in Romance languages and subsequently into Middle English.
Evolution
- Latin
cornu
“horn”
The source of the concept of a projection or point.
- Vulgar Latin
cornaria
“a corner, a place with a horn-like point”
Derived from cornu with suffix -aria.
- Old French
corniere
“corner or angle”
- Middle English
cornere
“corner”
Connections
Word parts
corn
root
horn
er
suffix
forming a noun of place
Related across languages
French
coin
corner
Spanish
esquina
street corner
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Related to corner
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.