Etymograph

English

performance

Performance comes from Middle English parfourmaunce, equivalent to perform + -ance.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500parfourmaunce1
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1959performance1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English performance
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1959, Georgette Heyer: “Charles had not been employed above six months at…”.

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500parfourmaunceWiktionary, English performance
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1959performanceWiktionary, English performance. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1959, Georgette Heyer: “Charles had not been employed above six months at…”

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Today it means

noun The act of performing; carrying into execution or action; execution; achievement; accomplishment; representation by action.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “performance”. 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 / Middle English parfourmaunce / performance