ABSTRACT
ETYMOLOGY is the study of the origins of words. We have already seen (in Chapters 3-5) that we can borrow words from various places or create our own from English. With passing time, the origins of these words can become obscure. For instance, you could not guess by looking at it that the word lord was originally a compound word made up of the elements corresponding to modern English loaf-ward and meaning 'bread keeper' or that the word lady was originally a compound word made up of elements corresponding to loaf-kneader. Nor could we guess from the current form of the word that pantry has its origins in an Old French word meaning 'place for keeping bread'.
