Where does “ammunition” come from?

Ammunition derives from French amunition, from French munition, from Latin munitio, a noun formation from the Proto-Indo-European root mey- meaning to change or exchange.

ammunition (English): Articles used in charging firearms and ordnance...

Definitions

  1. Articles used in charging firearms and ordnance...

Ancestry of “ammunition”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchamunition—
2Latinmūnīre—
3Latinmoenīre—
4Latinmoeniacity walls, fortifications, walls, ramparts
5Old Latinmoenewall, fortification
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmóyni—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

Words derived from “ammunition”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European móyni →Every word from Old Latin moene →