Where does “abolitionist” come from?
Abolitionist derives from English abolition combined with Latin -ista, from Ancient Greek -ιστής denoting a practitioner, ultimately tracing through Ancient Greek -ίζω, Latin ab- and ab meaning away, and Ancient Greek ἔλαιον or Latin oleum for oil.
abolitionist (English): In favor of the abolition of slavery; A person...
Definitions
- In favor of the abolition of slavery; A person...
Ancestry of “abolitionist”, step by step
abolitionist traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English abolition
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | abolition | The act of abolishing; an annulling; abrogation;... |
| 2 | Middle French | abolition | — |
| 3 | Latin | abolitiō | abolishing, annulling, abolition |
| 4 | Latin | -tiō | tion, -ation, -ing |
| 5 | Latin | dissertātiō | (spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition |
| 6 | Latin | dissertus | arranged, disposed; explained |
| 7 | Latin | disserere | second-person singular future passive indicative... |
| 8 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 9 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 10 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |