Middle English: from Old French parc, from medieval Latin parricus, of Germanic origin; related to German Pferch 'pen, fold', also to paddock. The word was originally a legal term designating land held by royal grant for keeping game animals: this was enclosed and therefore distinct from a forest or chase, and (also unlike a forest) had no special laws or officers. A military sense 'space occupied by artillery, wagons, stores, etc. in an encampment' (late 17th cent.) is the origin of the verb sense (mid 19th cent.) and of sense 2 (early 20th cent.)