Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “abominable” come from?

Abominable comes from Middle English abhomynable, from Old French abominable, from Latin abominabilis, derived from Latin ab and -bilis, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European h₂epó and -dʰlom.

abominable (English): Worthy of, or causing, abhorrence, as a thing of...

Definitions

  1. Worthy of, or causing, abhorrence, as a thing of...

Ancestry of “abominable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishabhomynablerepulsive, revolting, causing sickness,...
2Old Frenchabominable—
3Latinabōminābilis—
4Latinabōminor—
5Latinab-from, away, away from; off; at a distance
6Latināb—
7Proto-Germanic*ab—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanapó—

Words derived from “abominable”

  • abominably
  • abhominable
  • abominableness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European apó →