entrance
UK[ˈen.trəns]US[ˈen.trəns]
n
A door, gate, or other opening used for entering a place.
n
The act of entering a place or the right to enter it.
n
The moment when an actor comes onto the stage.
Morpheme Breakdown
enter
ance
enter
to go in.
ance
Etymology
The word "entrance" is a double borrowing from French, built upon the Latin verb intrare, meaning "to enter," which itself derives from the preposition intra, "within." The suffix -ance was added in Old French to form a noun indicating the action or result of entering. While the core Latin root intra- is visible in related English words like "interior" and "intramural," the specific form "enter" was adopted into Middle English from Anglo-French. Thus, the literal construction "the action of going in" evolved seamlessly into its modern meanings, referring to the physical doorway, the act itself, or a formal point of entry like a stage appearance.
Analysis
Structure: enter + ance
- enter: From Latin intra (within, inside), via Old French entrer. Functions as the core verb root meaning "to go in."
- ance: From Latin -antia, via Old French -ance. Functions as a noun-forming suffix denoting an action, state, or quality.
Examples
The main entrance to the building is on the south side.
His sudden entrance into the room startled everyone.
The singer made a dramatic entrance during the second act.