Allowance
/əˈlaʊ.əns/noun
A sum of money or amount of something regularly permitted, given, or allotted.
Did you know?In medieval English, allowance could mean approval, authorization, or official recognition before it came to mean a regular amount granted or permitted.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*stel-
“To put in place or set up; a proposed ancient root connected with ideas of standing and placement.”
Classical Latin
Latin
locus
“Place or location; the noun underlying later Latin words for placing and assigning.”
Classical Latin
Latin
allocare
“To assign or place something; formed from ad-, “to,” and locare, “to place.””
12th Century
Old French
alouer
“To approve, authorize, assign, or grant.”
14th Century
Middle English
alowen
“To approve, permit, or grant officially.”
15th Century
English
allowance
“Approval, authorization, or an amount granted or permitted.”
Modern English
English
allowance
“A regular sum or permitted amount, especially money given for personal use.”