Etymograph

English

discuss

Discuss comes from Middle English discussen, from Anglo-Norman discusser, from Latin discussus, past participle of discutiō ‘to shake apart; examine’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdiscutiō1‘to strike apart; to examine, discuss’
  2. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400discusser1
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500discussen1
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1590discuss1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English discuss
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1590, Edmund Spenser, Book III, Canto I: “For she was giuen all to fleshly lust, /…”.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdiscutiōWiktionary, English discuss‘to strike apart; to examine, discuss’
  2. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400discusserWiktionary, English discuss
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500discussenWiktionary, English discuss
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1590discussWiktionary, English discuss. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1590, Edmund Spenser, Book III, Canto I: “For she was giuen all to fleshly lust, /…”

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Today it means

verb To converse or debate concerning a particular topic.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “discuss”. 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 / Latin discutiō / discuss