- page (1)
- "sheet of paper," 1589 (earlier pagne, 12c., directly from O.Fr.), from M.Fr. page, from O.Fr. pagine, from L. pagina "page, strip of papyrus fastened to others," related to pagella "small page," from pangere "to fasten," from PIE base *pag- "to fix" (see pact). Usually said to be from the notion of individual sheets of paper "fastened" into a book. Ayto offers an alternative theory: vines fastened by stakes and formed into a trellis, which led to sense of "columns of writing on a scroll." When books replaced scrolls, the word continued to be used. Page-turner "book that one can't put down" is from 1974.
- page (2)
- "youth, lad, boy of the lower orders," c.1300, originally also "youth preparing to be a knight," from O.Fr. page, possibly via It. paggio, from M.L. pagius "servant," perhaps ult. from Gk. paidion "boy, lad," dim. of pais (gen. paidos) "child;" but some sources consider this unlikely and suggest instead L. pagus "countryside," in sense of "boy from the rural regions" (see pagan). Meaning "youth employed as a personal attendant to a person of rank" is first recorded c.1460; this was transf. from late 18c. to boys who did personal errands in hotels, clubs, etc., also in U.S. legislatures. The verb (1904) is from the notion of "to send a page after" someone. Pager "device that emits a signal when activated by a telephone call" is first attested 1968.