OpenEtymology

change

UKtʃeɪndʒUStʃeɪndʒ

Meaning

1v

to become different, or to make someone or something different

2v

to exchange one thing for another, especially of a similar type

3n

the act or process of becoming different

4n

coins, especially small coins as opposed to paper money

Usage

The leaves change color in the autumn.

I need to change my dollars for euros before the trip.

She counted the change from her ten-pound note.

Etymology

The word 'change' entered English in the 13th century from Old French 'changier', meaning 'to alter, exchange, switch'. The Old French term itself evolved from Late Latin 'cambiare', which meant 'to barter, exchange'. This Latin verb is likely of Celtic origin, possibly from a root meaning 'to bend, turn'. The core semantic journey is from the concrete act of physical exchange or barter to the more abstract concepts of alteration and transformation, capturing the idea of one state or thing turning into another.

Analysis

The word is a simplex form derived from Old French. It cannot be meaningfully segmented into smaller, independent morphemes within its modern English spelling.

Change Etymology, Origin & Meaning | wordDNA