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
- Worthy of, or causing, abhorrence, as a thing of...
Ancestry of “abominable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | abhomynable | repulsive, revolting, causing sickness,... |
| 2 | Old French | abominable | — |
| 3 | Latin | abōminābilis | abominable, detestable |
| 4 | Latin | abōminor | to deprecate (as an ill omen) |
| 5 | Latin | ab- | from, away, away from; off; at a distance |
| 6 | Latin | āb | from, away from, out of |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | *ab | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | apó | — |