report
Meaning
to give a spoken or written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or investigated.
a spoken or written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or investigated.
Structure
Usage
The journalist will report on the election results tonight.
She submitted a detailed financial report to the board.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion just before midnight.
Etymology
The word "report" entered English in the late 14th century from Old French reporter, which itself derived from Latin reportare, meaning "to carry back." The Latin verb is a compound of re- ("back") and portare ("to carry"). This literal sense of carrying information back from a distant place or event evolved into the modern abstract meaning of presenting a formal or official account. The underlying logic remains intact: one gathers facts or observations and "carries them back" to an audience or authority in a structured narrative.
Analysis
- re: A Latin prefix meaning "back" or "again." - port: From Latin portare, meaning "to carry."