Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “alienation” come from?

Alienation comes from Middle English alienacioun, from Old French alienacion, from Latin alienatio, derived from the Latin suffix -tio added to alius meaning "other," which traces to Proto-Indo-European h₂élyos.

alienation (English): The act of alienating; The state of being...

Definitions

  1. The act of alienating; The state of being...

Ancestry of “alienation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishalienaciounThe removal of a person's possessions or...
2Old Frenchalienaciontransfer of property
3Latinalienatiotransfer of property; separation, desertion;...
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “alienation”

  • nonalienation
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →