The term bachelor was adopted in the 13th century from the Old French word bachelier, which originally referred to young squires in training for knighthood. Over time, it became associated with unmarried men, particularly during the Victorian era when many squires were seen as desirable marriage prospects due to their social status. The origin can be traced back to the Latin word bacchalarius, meaning “vassal” or “serf”, with possible connections to the word vacca for “cow”, although this is uncertain. The terms bachelor’s degree and baccalaureate emerged from medieval scholars possibly mistaking bachelier for the Latin phrase bacca lauri, which referred to laurel berries given as symbols of academic achievement. Interestingly, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the term bachelor was also used to describe fur seals and roofing slates.
