etymology · 1500s–1600s
magazine
Drift #12 · May 24, 2026 · abstract
Meaning comparison
Today it means
a periodical publication with articles and pictures
It used to mean (1500s–1600s)
a storehouse; a place for keeping goods, weapons, or supplies
Etymology
'Magazine' comes from French 'magasin' (storehouse), from Arabic 'makhazin' (storehouses). The first periodical to use the name, The Gentleman's Magazine in 1731, described itself as a 'storehouse' of varied knowledge. The container became the contents.
The Drift
How the meaning shifted over time
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In Historical Context
The magazine at the garrison held powder and shot enough for six months of siege, all locked under heavy guard.
drift fact
'Al-Makhzen' is still the term for the Moroccan royal court — the king's 'storehouse' of power.
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