The word curfew comes from the Old French phrase “couvre-feu”, which literally means cover fire. It was a directive to put out fires and cover hearths for the night. Here’s a breakdown of the origin:

1. Old French:
   • Couvrir = to cover
   • Feu = fire
2. Medieval Use:
   In medieval times, the couvre-feu was a signal, usually a bell, to extinguish or “cover” the fire, which helped prevent accidental fires in homes made of flammable materials. It was also meant to encourage people to stay indoors after dark, ensuring public safety and order.
3. English Adaptation:
   This French term was adopted into Middle English around the 13th century, evolving into curfew. Over time, it came to refer not just to putting out fires but to any regulation or time limit that required people to be indoors at a certain hour—especially during times of political unrest or emergencies.

So today, when we hear curfew, it refers to restrictions on people’s movements at certain times, but it originally started with a very practical and fire-related purpose!