Rent
/rɛnt/noun
Money paid regularly for the use of property, or a thing leased for payment.
Did you know?The noun and verb ultimately trace back to Latin roots meaning “to give back” and “to yield,” which is why rent is tied to recurring payment rather than a one-time purchase.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷer-
“to bend, turn”
Latin
Latin
reddere
“to give back, return”
Late Latin
Latin
rēndita / reddita
“something paid out or returned; revenue”
Old French
Old French
rente
“a fixed income, annual payment”
Middle English
English
rente
“annual payment for land or property”
Modern English
English
rent
“payment for the use of property”
Explore more surprising origins