Bargain
/ˈbɑːr.ɡɪn/noun
An agreement between two parties, especially one made for a lower price.
Did you know?The word entered English through Old French and has long carried the sense of a negotiated exchange, not a magical pact—though later folklore and literature often made bargains feel almost supernatural.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*burgjaną
“to trade, exchange, or make a deal”
Old French
OF
bargaignier
“to haggle, trade, or negotiate”
Middle English
ME
bargaynen
“to bargain, haggle over terms”
15th Century
English
bargain
“a negotiated agreement or deal”
Modern English
English
bargain
“an agreement, especially one involving a favorable price”