Tour
/tʊər/noun
A journey or excursion, especially one made for pleasure or to visit several places.
Did you know?Tour ultimately traces back to the Greek word for a lathe, linking travel with the ancient idea of turning, circling, and moving around a center.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*terh₂-
“To rub, turn, or cause to revolve; a reconstructed root associated with rotational motion.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
tórnos
“A lathe or compass-like tool used to make circular forms.”
Classical Latin
Latin
tornus
“A lathe; a turning tool.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
tornare
“To turn on a lathe or shape by turning.”
12th–13th Century
Old French
tor / tourn
“A circuit, turn, or journey around a place.”
14th Century
English
tour
“A journey or circuit, especially one involving multiple places.”
Modern English
English
tour
“An organized journey or excursion, often involving visits to several locations.”
Explore more surprising origins