- rent (1)
- "payment for use of property," mid-12c., from O.Fr. rente, from V.L. *rendita, properly the fem. pp. of rendere "to render" (see render). The verb is attested from mid-14c., from the noun. Rental (n.) "thing let out for rent" is recorded from 1952, Amer.Eng. Prefix rent-a- first attested 1921, mainly of businesses that rented various makes of car (Rentacar is a trademark registered in U.S. 1924); extended to other "temporary" uses since 1961.
- rent (2)
- "torn place," 1535, noun use of M.E. renten "to tear, rend" (c.1366), variant of renden (see rend).