Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “abstainer” come from?

Abstainer comes from Middle English absteiner, derived from Middle English absteinen, from Old French abstenir, from Latin abstineo, composed of Latin abs and Latin ab, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ten-.

abstainer (English): Agent noun of abstain; one who abstains;...

Definitions

  1. Agent noun of abstain; one who abstains;...

Ancestry of “abstainer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishabsteiner—
2Middle Englishabsteinento abstain
3Old Frenchabstenirto abstain from; to not participate in
4Latinabstineō—
5Latinab-from, away, away from; off; at a distance
6Latināb—
7Proto-Germanic*ab—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanapó—

Words derived from “abstainer”

  • nonabstainer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European apó →