- regret (v.)
- "to remember with distress or longing," c.1300, from Old French regreter "long after, bewail, lament someone's death," from re-, intensive prefix + -greter, possibly from Frankish (cf. Old English grætan "to weep;" Old Norse grata "to weep, groan"), from Proto-Germanic *gretan "weep." Replaced Old English ofþyncan, from of- "off, away," here denoting opposition + þyncan "seem, seem fit" (as in methinks).
- regret (n.)
- 1530s, from regret (v.).