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Origin and history of duo

duo(n.)

1580s, "song for two voices, duet," via either Italian or French from Latin duo "two" (from PIE root *dwo- "two"). Meaning "two people" (especially as an entertainment team) attested by 1887.

also from 1580s

Entries linking to duo

trio(n.)

1724, "musical composition for three solo parts," via French trio (c. 1600) or directly from Italian trio, from tri- "three" (see three); patterned on duo. The meaning "group of three persons" is from 1789.

*dwo-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "two."

It might form all or part of: anadiplosis; balance; barouche; between; betwixt; bezel; bi-; binary; bis-; biscuit; combination; combine; deuce; deuterium; Deuteronomy; di- (1) "two, double, twice;" dia-; dichotomy; digraph; dimity; diode; diphthong; diploid; diploma; diplomacy; diplomat; diplomatic; diplodocus; double; doublet; doubloon; doubt; dozen; dual; dubious; duet; duo; duodecimal; duplex; duplicate; duplicity; dyad; epididymis; hendiadys; pinochle; praseodymium; redoubtable; twain; twelfth; twelve; twenty; twi-; twice; twig; twilight; twill; twin; twine; twist; 'twixt; two; twofold; zwieback.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit dvau, Avestan dva, Greek duo, Latin duo, Old Welsh dou, Lithuanian dvi, Old Church Slavonic duva, Old English twa, twegen, German zwei, Gothic twai "two;" first element in Hittite ta-ugash "two years old."

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    Trends of duo

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

    More to explore

    couple
    late 13c., "two of the same kind or class connected or considered together," especially "a man and a woman associated together by marriage or love," from Old French cople "married couple, lovers" (12c., Modern French couple), from Latin copula "tie, connection," from PIE *ko-ap-,
    duet
    "musical composition for two voices or instruments," 1740, from French duet, from Italian duetto "short musical composition for two voices," diminutive of duo "two" (from PIE root *dwo- "two"). The Italian form of the noun was used in English from c. 1724. As a verb, "to perform
    dubious
    neuter of dubius "vacillating, moving two ways, fluctuating;" figuratively "wavering in opinion, doubting, doubtful," from duo...
    duplicity
    duplicitas) "doubleness," in Medieval Latin "ambiguity," noun of quality from duplex (genitive duplicis) "twofold," from duo...
    deuterium
    According to some sources from duo "two" (from PIE root *dwo- "two"), but according to Watkins the ground sense is "missing...
    duel
    language and apparently given a special meaning in Medieval or Late Latin of "one-on-one combat" on fancied connection with duo...
    pair
    mid-13c., paire, "a set of two, two of a kind coupled in use," from Old French paire "pair, couple," and directly from Medieval Latin paria "equals," neuter plural of Latin par (genitive paris) "a pair, counterpart, equal," noun use of par (adj.) "equal, equal-sized, well-matched
    twain
    Old English twegen "two" (masc. nominative and accusative), from Proto-Germanic *twa- "two," from PIE root *dwo- "two." It corresponds to Old Frisian twene, Dutch twee, Old High German zwene, Danish tvende. The word outlasted the breakdown of gender in Middle English and survived
    brace
    early 14c., "piece of armor for the arms," also "thong, strap for fastening," from Old French brace "arms," also "length measured by two arms" (12c., Modern French bras "arm, power;" brasse "fathom, armful, breaststroke"), from Latin bracchia, plural of bracchium "an arm, a forea

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    Dictionary entries near duo
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