- Renaissance (n.)
- "great period of revival of classical-based art and learning in Europe that began 14c.," 1840, from French renaissance des lettres, from Old French renaissance, literally "rebirth," usually in a spiritual sense, from renaître "be born again," from Vulgar Latin *renascere, from Latin renasci "be born again," from re- "again" (see re-) + nasci "be born" (Old Latin gnasci; see genus). An earlier term for it was revival of learning (1785). In general usage, with a lower-case r-, "a revival" (especially of learning, literature, art), it is attested from 1872. Renaissance man is first recorded 1906.