English
story
Story comes from Middle English storie, from Anglo-Norman estorie, from Latin historia, from Ancient Greek ἱστορία ‘learning through research’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-1‘to see’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wéydtōr1‘one who has seen’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*wístōr1reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEῐ̔́στωρ1hĭ́stōr‘judge’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEῐ̔στορέω1hĭstoréō‘to inquire’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEῐ̔στορῐ́ᾱ1hĭstorĭ́ā‘learning through research’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhistoria1
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400estorie1
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500storie1
- Englishearliest quotation 1611story1
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, English story
- Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1611, The Tragedie of Cymbeline: “How worthy he is I will leave to appear…”.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weyd-Wiktionary, English story‘to see’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wéydtōrWiktionary, English story‘one who has seen’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*wístōrWiktionary, English storyreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEῐ̔́στωρWiktionary, English storyhĭ́stōr‘judge’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEῐ̔στορέωWiktionary, English storyhĭstoréō‘to inquire’
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEῐ̔στορῐ́ᾱWiktionary, English storyhĭstorĭ́ā‘learning through research’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhistoriaWiktionary, English story
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400estorieWiktionary, English story
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500storieWiktionary, English story
- Englishearliest quotation 1611storyWiktionary, English story. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1611, The Tragedie of Cymbeline: “How worthy he is I will leave to appear…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *weyd- ‘to see’
video, guy, idea, provide, evidence, review, visit, advice, interview, guide, vision, witness, wise, wisdom, visa, advise, invisible, evident, wit, idol, wizard, visibility, witty, revise, guise, prudent, vista, tabloid, envious, jurisprudence, steroid, prudence, revue, improvise, druid, vide, avis, purview, twit, hypothyroidism, 116 more
through Ancient Greek ῐ̔στορῐ́ᾱ ‘learning through research’
through Latin historia
Today it means
noun An account of real or fictional events.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “story”. 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 *weyd- / story