Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “-ment” come from?

-ment (English) comes from Middle English -ment, from Old French -ment, from Latin -mentum, from Latin -menta, from Proto-Indo-European -mn̥ — Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs.

-ment (English): Used to form nouns from verbs, the nouns having...

Definitions

  1. Used to form nouns from verbs, the nouns having...

Ancestry of “-ment”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle English-mentForms nouns denoting a result or action from...
2Old French-mentUsed to form adverbs, most of the time equivalent...
3Latin-mentuminstrument, medium, or result of; e.g....
4Latin-mentanominative plural of -mentum; accusative plural...
5Proto-Indo-European-mn̥Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs

Words derived from “-ment”

  • management
  • treatment
  • statement
  • investment
  • assessment
  • employment
  • equipment
  • commitment
  • settlement
  • excitement
  • involvement
  • measurement
  • requirement
  • enjoyment
  • disappointment
  • replacement
  • unemployment
  • placement
  • astonishment
  • announcement
  • impairment
  • embarrassment
  • basement
  • amazement
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -mn̥ →