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pawn

Etymology and origin of the English word pawn

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈpɔːn/ (UK)[1]

Etymology

Pawn “pledge” is inherited from Middle English paun, borrowed from Middle French pan (“pledge, security”),[2][3][4][5][6] of Germanic origin,[2][3][4][6] related to Dutch pand and German Pfand (“pledge”).[3][4][6] The chess pawn is inherited from Middle English poun, borrowed from Anglo-Norman poun,[3][4][5] from Old French peon “foot soldier”,[2][3][4] from Medieval Latin pedō (“foot soldier”),[2][3][4][5] from Latin pēs (“foot”).[2][3][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The chess piece of smallest value (c. 1369).[7][3] The pledge sense appears in Anglo-Latin pandum in the 12th century[4] and in English in 1496.[3]

Semantic evolution

The chess sense had developed in Old French by the 13th century.[4] Figuratively, a pawn is a person used to further someone else's purposes (1589).[7][4] The pledge word gave the phrase in pawn (1554)[7] and the verb “to deposit as security for a loan” (1567–70),[7][3][5] also figuratively “to pledge, to risk”, as in to pawn one's life.[7][2][6]

Timeline

  • c. 1369 – the chess piece.[7][3]
  • 1496 – a pledge, security.[3]
  • 1554 – in pawn.[7]
  • 1567 – verb, to pledge (figuratively).[7][3]
  • 1570 – verb, to deposit as security for a loan.[7][5]
  • 1589 – a person used by others.[7][4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The chess piece of lowest value, which moves forward one square at a time (or two on its first move) and captures diagonally.
  2. A person or thing used to further another's purposes; a tool.
  3. Something given as security for a loan; a pledge.
  4. The state of being held as security, as in jewels in pawn.
  5. A person held as security; a hostage.

Verb

  1. To give or deposit (personal property) as security for money borrowed, especially with a pawnbroker.
  2. To pledge or risk, as in pawn one's honour.

Word family

  • pawnable
  • pawnage
  • pawnshop
  • pawnbroker
  • peon
  • pedestrian

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  6. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Pawn.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/pawn. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·