- rout (n.)
- 1590s, "disorderly retreat," from Middle French route "disorderly flight of troops," literally "a breaking off, rupture," from Vulgar Latin rupta "a dispersed group," literally "a broken group," from Latin rupta, fem. past participle of rumpere "to break" (see rupture (n.)).
- rout (v.)
- c.1600, from rout (n.). Related: Routed; routing.