'attempt' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'attemptare' (Late Latin), where 'ad-' meant 'to' and 'temptare' meant 'to try or test'.

'attempt' changed from Old French/Anglo-French forms such as 'atempter' and Middle English 'attenpten/attempten' and eventually became the modern English word 'attempt' (from which 'attempter' and 'attempters' are derived).

Initially, it meant 'to try or test', and over time it has kept that core meaning of 'to try to do something'; the noun forms developed to mean 'an act of trying' and 'one who tries'.