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Origin and history of derive

derive(v.)

late 14c., "descend from," from Old French deriver "to flow, pour out; derive, originate," from Latin derivare "to lead or draw off (a stream of water) from its source" (in Late Latin also "to derive"), from phrase de rivo (de "from" + rivus "stream," from PIE root *rei- "to run, flow").

From c. 1500 as "obtain by a process of reasoning." In reference to words, "arise by a process of word-formation," 1550s; meaning "trace or show derivation" is from c. 1600. General sense of "get, gain, obtain" (as from a source or origin) is from 1560s; that of "arise, spring" (from) a source or origin is from 1660s. Related: Derived; deriving.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to derive

derivate(adj.)

"derived," late 15c., from Latin derivatus, past participle of derivare (see derive). From 1650s as a noun, "a word derived from another." Related: Derivately.

derivation(n.)

early 15c., derivacioun, originally in a now-obsolete sense in medicine, "a drawing off or away, a turning aside," from Old French dérivation (14c.) and directly from Latin derivationem (nominative derivatio) "a leading off, turning away," also "derivation of a word, etymology," noun of action from past-participle stem of derivare "to lead or draw off" (see derive).

Grammatical sense, "drawing or tracing of a word in its development or formation from its more original root or stem, a statement of the origin or history of a word" in English is from mid-15c. The general meaning "origination, descent" is from c. 1600; that of "act or fact of drawing or receiving from a source" is from 1650s.

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Trends of derive

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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derivative
early 15c., in a now-obsolete medical sense, "having the property of drawing off or away," from Old French derivatif (15c.) and directly from Late Latin derivativus, from derivat-, past-participle stem of Latin derivare "to lead or draw off" (see derive). Meaning "taken or having
come
elementary intransitive verb of motion, Old English cuman "to move with the purpose of reaching, or so as to reach, some point; to arrive by movement or progression;" also "move into view, appear, become perceptible; come to oneself, recover; arrive; assemble" (class IV strong ve
descend
c. 1300, descenden, "move or pass from a higher to a lower place," from Old French descendre (10c.) "descend, dismount; fall into; originate in" and directly from Latin descendere "come down, descend, sink," from de "down" (see de-) + scandere "to climb," from PIE root *skand- "j
rickets
Some derive it from a Dorset word, rucket "to breathe with difficulty," but the sense connection is difficult....
aficionado
"Most sources derive this word from the Spanish verb aficionar but the verb does not appear in Spanish before 1555, and the...
Czech
Room says "some" derive it from a source akin to Czech četa "army."...
coddle
pampering" first recorded 1815 (in Jane Austen's "Emma"), but the connection to the other word is uncertain; it might as well derive...
deuce
late 15c., dews, "the 2 in dice or cards," also "a roll of 2 in dice" (1510s), from Old French deus (Modern French deux), from Latin duos (nominative duo) "two" (from PIE root *dwo- "two"). The spelling -ce from -s to reflect voiceless pronunciation is as in dice, pence, etc. The
deduce
early 15c., deducen, "to show, prove, demonstrate;" late 15c., "to deduct," from Latin deducere "lead down, derive" (in Medieval Latin, "infer logically"), from de "down" (see de-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead"). The usual modern sense of "draw a conclusion f
make
Old English macian "to give being to, give form or character to, bring into existence; construct, do, be the author of, produce; prepare, arrange, cause; behave, fare, transform," from West Germanic *makōjanan "to fashion, fit" (source also of Old Saxon makon, Old Frisian makia "

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