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Origin and history of rebus

rebus(n.)

puzzle or riddle consisting of pictures of objects, the names of which sound like the words or phrase intended, c. 1600, apparently from Latin rebus (and meaning literally "by means of objects"), ablative plural of res "thing, object" (see re).

According to French sources (Gilles Ménage, "Les origines de la langue françoise," 1650), it is principally from the phrase de rebus quæ geruntur "of things which are going on," in reference to the satirical pieces composed by Picardy clerks at carnivals, subtle satires of current events consisting of pictures used to suggest words, phrases, or things. Or this use of the Latin word might be from the representations being non verbis sed rebus "not by words, but by things."

also from c. 1600

Entries linking to rebus

re

"with reference to," used from c. 1700 in legalese, from Latin (in) re "in the matter of," from ablative of res "property, goods; matter, thing, affair." Its non-legalese use is execrated by Fowler in three different sections of "Modern English Usage."

The Latin word is reconstructed to be from Proto-Italic *re-, from PIE *reh-i- "wealth, goods" (source also of Sanskrit rayi- "property, goods," Avestan raii-i- "wealth").

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    The CHARADE is, in fact, a near Relation of the old Rebus....
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    late 14c., probleme, "a difficult question proposed for discussion or solution; a riddle; a scientific topic for investigation," from Old French problème (14c.) and directly from Latin problema, from Greek problēma "a task, that which is proposed, a question;" also "anything proj
    concrete
    late 14c., "actual, solid; particular, individual; denoting a substance," from Latin concretus "condensed, hardened, stiff, curdled, congealed, clotted," figuratively "thick; dim," literally "grown together;" past participle of concrescere "to grow together," from assimilated for
    wine
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