Where does “absolute” come from?

Absolute comes from Middle English absolut, from Middle French absolut, from Latin absolutus, the past participle of absolvo meaning to release or set free, derived from ab and solvo.

absolute (English): Free of restrictions, limitations, qualifications...

Definitions

  1. Free of restrictions, limitations, qualifications...

Ancestry of “absolute”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishabsolut—
2Middle Frenchabsolut—
3Latinabsolūtusconcluded, finished, complete, having been ended
4Latinabsolvōto release, discharge
5Latinsolvoto loosen, untie, undo; free [up], release, acquit, exempt
6Latinsē-apart-; aside-; away
7Latinsexsix; 6
8Proto-Italicsekssix
9Proto-Indo-Europeanswéḱssix

Words derived from “absolute”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European swéḱs →Every word from Latin sē- →Every word from Latin solvo →