date back

phrasal verb·1 sense·particle back

Meanings

1

Have origins from an earlier time

Why “back”? Something returns to an earlier state.

The cathedral dates back to the 12th century.
The cathedral has origins reaching back to the 12th century.
This bridge dates back to Roman times.
This bridge has origins in Roman times.

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The cathedral dates back to the 12th century. What does it mean?

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