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Etymology and origin of the English word agora

agora1 ancient Greek assembly, marketplace

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1591 Giles Fletcher, Of the Russe Common Wealth
Borrowed from
Ancient Greek ἀγορά
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek ἀγείρω
Etymology tree of agora1
inherited borrowed derived
Ancient Greek ἀγορά (agorá)
English agora
From the same root · agora1
Ancient Greek ἀγορεύω (agoreúō) ← ἀγορά

Pronunciation

  • /ˈæ.ɡə.ɹə/, /əˈɡɔː.ɹə/[1]

Etymology

The word for the assembly and marketplace is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀγορά (agorá, “assembly, place of assembly, marketplace”),[2][3][4][5] which the revised OED takes as coming through post-classical Latin agora, recorded by 1508.[6] The Greek noun is an o-grade derivative of the stem of ἀγείρω (ageírō, “to gather together, assemble”),[6][2][3] related to ἄγυρις (águris, “assembly”) and ἀγύρτης (agúrtēs, “beggar”).[5] The OED takes the verb as probably related to γάργαρα (gárgara, “heaps, lots”),[6] while Etymonline and Barnhart trace it to Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to gather”),[3][4] and Klein and Barnhart make it cognate with Latin grex (“flock”), the source of gregarious.[5][4] The Greek noun is also the second element of allegory, category and panegyric.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

A public open space where people assembled, especially a marketplace in the ancient Greek world: 1591, in Giles Fletcher's Of the Russe Common Wealth.[6][2] Barnhart's first record is in Hakluyt's Voyages (1598).[4]

Semantic evolution

In Greek the word named first the assembly of the people, as opposed to the council of chiefs, and then the place where it met, typically the marketplace; it could also mean public speaking and the goods for sale.[3] English took over the place and the assembly held there, a sense Collins still gives,[3][7] and Etymonline compares the Roman forum.[3] From 1886, in W. T. Stead, the word was extended to any assembly for discussion or decision, and then to any world of social exchange or commercial dealing.[6]

Timeline

  • 1591 – a public open space for assembly, especially a marketplace of the ancient Greek world.[6][2]
  • 1886 – an assembly for discussion; any arena of social or commercial exchange.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. In ancient Greece, a public square used as a marketplace and for popular assemblies, especially the one in Athens.[7][2][6]
  2. An assembly of the people held in such a place.[7][3]
  3. Any place or forum of public gathering, discussion or exchange: The town's café had become its agora.[2][6]

agora2 Israeli coin

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1961 Whitaker's Almanack
Borrowed from
Modern Hebrew אֲגוֹרָה

Pronunciation

  • /ˌæɡ.əˈɹɑː/[1]

Etymology

The word for the Israeli coin is borrowed from Modern Hebrew אֲגוֹרָה (agorá),[2][6][1] used since 1960 for one hundredth of the Israeli pound, since 1980 of the shekel and since 1985 of the new shekel.[6] It is a specific use of the word for a small coin or payment in the Hebrew Bible (1 Samuel 2:36), of uncertain origin and probably related to the source of gerah.[6][2][8] The American Heritage Dictionary derives it from a Hebrew verb meaning "to hire".[9] The English plural “agorot” follows the Hebrew plural.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A monetary unit of Israel, one hundredth of the Israeli pound: 1961, in Whitaker's Almanack.[6][2]

Semantic evolution

The coin was introduced in 1960 as one hundredth of the Israeli lira, or pound, and since 1980 it has been one hundredth of the shekel.[6][8]

Timeline

  • 1961 – a monetary unit of Israel, one hundredth of the Israeli pound, later of the shekel.[6][2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A monetary unit of Israel equal to one hundredth of a shekel, and a coin of this value.[2][7][6]

Usage notes

The Greek word has the plurals agoras and agorae,[2] also agorai;[8] the coin has agorot or agoroth.[7][8] The coin's name is stressed on the last syllable, unlike the Greek word.[8][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  5. ^ a b c d Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
  7. ^ a b c d e Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
  8. ^ a b c d e Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  9. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (online 2024), 5th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Agora.” Etymologically, 8 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/en/agora. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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