exchange English · revision 2771

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1374|origins=la cambiō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|eschaunge]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|xno|eschaunge]], Old French eschange (modern échange),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from eschangier “to exchange”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[la-vul|*excambiāre]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|la|ex-|t=out]] and [[m|la-lat|cambiāre|t=to exchange, barter]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) the source of [[change]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) The spelling with es- was gradually replaced by ex- after Latin between the 15th and 17th centuries;^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) ''exchange'' is first found in Caxton, in 1484.^(Barnhart 1988) The verb is from Old French eschangier.^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The act of giving and receiving one thing for another: about 1374 in the OED, of prisoners of war,^(OED 1989) about 1378 in ''Piers Plowman'' in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) and the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) The proverb ''exchange is no robbery'' is from about 1384.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The commercial exchange of goods, barter, is from 1553.^(OED 1989) The meeting of merchants and lenders at certain places to exchange bills of debt led to the sense “a building for mercantile business” in the 1580s,^(Etymonline) as in the Royal Exchange and later the ''stock exchange''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) An exchange of blows or greetings is from 1602.^(OED 1989) The verb, “to part with something in return for an equivalent”, is from the late 15th century, in Caxton, though Barnhart dates eschaungen to 1415;^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) the non-commercial sense “to give and receive reciprocally” is from about 1600.^(Etymonline) A ''telephone exchange'' and the ''exchange rate'' of currencies are later senses.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) ''Exchangeable'' is from 1575.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1374 – an exchange of prisoners.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1384 – ''exchange is no robbery''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1415 – verb, to exchange.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1484 – the spelling ''exchange''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1553 – barter.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1580s – a building for merchants.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – verb, to give and receive reciprocally.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1602 – an exchange of blows.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of giving one thing and receiving another in return; a trade or [[swap]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A short conversation or argument: ''an angry exchange''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A place where goods, [[security|alt=securities]] or [[commodity|alt=commodities]] are traded: ''a stock exchange''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # The changing of one currency into another; the [[exchange rate]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A central office connecting telephone lines.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A visit by people from one country or school to another in return for a similar visit.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To give in return for something received; to [[trade]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To give and receive in turn: ''exchange greetings''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To return a purchase for something else.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[exchangeable]]

+ * [[exchangeability]]

+ * [[exchanger]]

+ * [[preexchange]]

+ * [[reexchange]]

+ * [[exchangee]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[change]]

+ * [[interchange]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}