Demurrage
/dɪˈmɜːrɪdʒ/noun
A charge payable for delaying a ship, railcar, truck, or cargo beyond the agreed time.
Did you know?Demurrage shares its Latin ancestry with “remora,” the fish once believed to cling to ships and delay their movement through magical obstruction.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
mora
“A delay, pause, or hindrance.”
Classical Latin
Latin
morari
“To delay, linger, or remain.”
Classical Latin
Latin
demorari
“To delay or stay behind; literally, to remain or linger.”
12th–13th Century
Old French
demeurer
“To remain, stay, or delay, derived from Latin demorari.”
15th Century
Anglo-French
demeurage
“Delay or detention, especially in the context of ships and cargo.”
Modern English
English
demurrage
“A charge imposed for keeping a vessel, vehicle, or cargo beyond the agreed period.”
Explore more surprising origins