Etymograph

English

discharge

Discharge comes from Old French deschargier ‘to unload’, from Latin carricō ‘load’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- ‘to run’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱers-1‘to run’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱr̥sós1‘vehicle, literally runner’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*karros1‘wagon’reconstructed
  4. Gaulishc. 500 BCE–500 CE*karros1‘wagon’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcarrus1‘a wagon, a two-wheeled baggage cart’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcarricō1‘load’
  7. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEdiscarrico2as discarricāre‘unload’
  8. Old Frenchc. 842–1400deschargier2‘to unload’
  9. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500dischargen2
  10. Englishearliest quotation 1579discharge2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin discarrico
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English discharge
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1579, Plutarke of Chæronea [i.e., Agis and Cleomenes: “But in deede, the ſecret cauſe that brought Ageſilaus…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱers-Wiktionary, Latin discarrico‘to run’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱr̥sósWiktionary, Latin discarrico‘vehicle, literally runner’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*karrosWiktionary, Latin discarrico‘wagon’reconstructed
  4. Gaulishc. 500 BCE–500 CE*karrosWiktionary, Latin discarrico‘wagon’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcarrusWiktionary, Latin discarrico‘a wagon, a two-wheeled baggage cart’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcarricōWiktionary, Latin discarrico‘load’
  7. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEdiscarricoWiktionary, English dischargeas discarricāre‘unload’
  8. Old Frenchc. 842–1400deschargierWiktionary, English discharge‘to unload’
  9. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500dischargenWiktionary, English discharge
  10. Englishearliest quotation 1579dischargeWiktionary, English discharge. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1579, Plutarke of Chæronea [i.e., Agis and Cleomenes: “But in deede, the ſecret cauſe that brought Ageſilaus…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- ‘to run’

course, current, rush, occur, currency, hurry, curriculum, corridor, courier, precursor, incur, concur, cursor, carousel, hurrah, recursive, corsair, recursion, recur, courant, succour, hussar, 42 more

through Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥sós ‘vehicle, literally runner’

corral, 13 more

through Latin carrus ‘a wagon, a two-wheeled baggage cart’

car, career, carry, carrier, carriage, caricature, chariot, recharge, carrack, 11 more

through Latin carricō ‘load’

cargo, 2 more

Today it means

verb To accomplish or complete, as an obligation.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “discharge”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin discarrico. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- / discharge

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