exchange: [14] Like change, exchange comes ultimately from Latin cambīre ‘barter’. In postclassical times this had the prefix ex- added to it, here functioning as an indicator of ‘change’, producing late Latin *excambiāre. In Old French this became eschangier (whence modern French échanger), which English acquired via Anglo- Norman eschaunge. A 15th-century reversion to the original Latin spelling of the prefix produced modern English exchange. => change
late 14c., "act of reciprocal giving and receiving," from Anglo-French eschaunge, Old French eschange (Modern French échange), from Late Latin excambium, from excambiare, from Latin ex- "out" (see ex-) + cambire "barter" (see change (v.)). Practice of merchants or lenders meeting to exchange bills of debt led to meaning "building for mercantile business" (1580s).
late 15c., from Old French eschangier "exchange, barter" (Modern French échanger), from Vulgar Latin *excambiare (source of Italian scambiare); see exchange (n.). Related: Exchanged; exchanging.
