Sally
/ˈsæli/noun
To rush out or spring forth suddenly, or a sudden brief attack or excursion.
Did you know?The military sense of sally comes from the same Latin root as words for “leap” and “jump,” so the word’s history is basically a linguistic spring-loaded trap.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sel-
“to leap, spring”
Latin
Latin
saltāre
“to dance, leap repeatedly”
Late Latin
Latin
saltāre / saltus
“a leap; a rushing out”
Old French
Old French
saillir
“to leap out, burst forth”
Middle English
English
sailen / sallyen
“to rush out suddenly, especially from a besieged place”
Modern English
English
sally
“a sudden charge or brief outing; to issue forth suddenly”
Explore more surprising origins