edit
/ˈɛdɪt/
verb
Origin
Latin
edere — to give out, put forth
Overview
Meaning Now
- To prepare written material for publication by correcting, condensing, or otherwise modifying it.
- To be responsible for the editorial policy of a newspaper, magazine, or other publication.
- To cut and arrange footage or audio for a film or recording.
Literal older meaning
to give out, to bring forth
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
edit
Earliest period
18th century
Journey
The verb 'edit' is a classic example of a back-formation in English. While the Latin root 'edere' existed, English speakers did not adopt the verb 'edit' directly from Latin. Instead, they borrowed the noun 'editor' in the 17th century, and during the 18th century, the verb was created by analogy to other agent-action pairs like 'act/actor' or 'edit/editor'.
Evolution
- Latin
editus
“brought forth”
Past participle of edere.
- Middle French
éditeur
“publisher”
Introduced via the noun form.
- 17th century English
editor
“one who puts forth or publishes”
Borrowed from Latin/French.
- 18th century English
edit
“to perform the duties of an editor”
Back-formation created by removing the -or suffix from 'editor'.
Connections
Word parts
edit
root
to give out
Related across languages
Latin
edere
to give out
French
éditer
to publish or edit
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.