travel
/ˈtræv.əl/
verb
Origin
Old French
travail — work, labor, toil
Overview
Meaning Now
- To make a journey, typically of some length.
- To move or proceed along a path or through a medium.
Literal older meaning
to toil, to labor
Language path
Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
travailen
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The evolution of 'travel' from 'tripalium' (an instrument of torture) highlights the historical perception of long-distance journeys as exhausting, dangerous, and laborious undertakings in the ancient and medieval worlds.
Evolution
- Latin
tripalium
“a three-staked instrument of torture”
Originating from tri- (three) + palus (stake).
- Old French
travaillier
“to labor, to torment, to journey”
The meaning of 'to journey' evolved from the arduous nature of travel in the medieval period.
- Middle English
travailen
“to labor, to journey”
Still implied great effort or difficulty.
- Modern English
travel
“to journey or move”
The specialized spelling 'travel' emerged to distinguish the act of movement from the noun 'travail' (painful effort).
Connections
Related across languages
French
travailler
to work
Spanish
trabajar
to work
Explore next
Related to travel
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.