The term “record” comes from the Latin word “recordari,” which means “to remember” or “to recall.” This is derived from the Latin roots “re-” meaning “again” and “cor” (genitive “cordis”) meaning “heart,” suggesting bringing something back to the heart or mind.
1. Proto-Indo-European (PIE)
The PIE root “kerd-” or “ker-” means “heart.”
2. Latin
From the PIE root, the Latin word “cor” (genitive “cordis”) developed, meaning “heart.” The verb “recordari” combines “re-” (again) and “cordis” (heart), meaning “to call to mind” or “to remember.”
3. Old French (c. 9th to 14th century CE)
The Latin term “recordari” evolved into Old French “recorder,” meaning “to remember” or “to bring to mind.”
4. Middle English (c. 11th to 15th century CE)
The Old French “recorder” was adopted into Middle English as “recorden,” meaning “to remember,” “to repeat,” or “to relate.”
5. Modern English (from 15th century CE to present)
The term “record” evolved into its current form and pronunciation, expanding in meaning to include documenting or preserving information in a physical or digital form. It now refers to the act of writing down or otherwise preserving information, as well as the physical or digital object containing such information (e.g., a written record, an audio record).
The word “record” reflects the concept of bringing information back to mind and has evolved to encompass various methods of preserving and documenting information across different media.