Etymograph

English

round

Round comes from Middle English round, from Old Northern French rount, from Latin rotundus.

  1. Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400rount1
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500round1‘spherical, round’
  3. Englishearliest quotation c. 1593round1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English round
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1593, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]: “The inclusive verge Of golden metal that must round…”.

Lineage

  1. Old Northern Frenchc. 842–1400rountWiktionary, English round
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500roundWiktionary, English round‘spherical, round’
  3. Englishearliest quotation c. 1593roundWiktionary, English round. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1593, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]: “The inclusive verge Of golden metal that must round…”

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Today it means

adj Of shape: Circular or cylindrical; having a circular cross-section in one direction.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “round”. 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 / Old Northern French rount / round