rest
/rest/
noun/verb
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*rastō — place of rest, bed, stage of a journey
Overview
Meaning Now
- A period of inactivity or relaxation; the absence of work or physical exertion.
- The remaining part of something; the remainder.
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
ræst
Earliest period
Old English period
Journey
The word 'rest' as in 'repose' has deep Germanic roots related to sleeping or staying in one place. By contrast, the 'rest' meaning 'the remainder' arrived much later via Old French 'rester' (to remain), which itself comes from Latin 'restare'. They converged into a single spelling in Middle English.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*rastō
“resting place or bed”
- Old English
ræst
“repose, quiet, bed”
- Middle English
rest
“repose; remainder (from Old French reste)”
Merger of two distinct etymological sources.
Connections
Word parts
rest
root
repose/remainder
Related across languages
German
Rast
rest or break during a journey
Old Norse
röst
rest or resting place
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.