Where does “arrest” come from?
Arrest comes from Old French arester, from Vulgar Latin arresto (to stop or detain), formed from the Latin prefix ad- combined with a root from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- meaning to stand or stop.
arrest (English): A check, stop, an act or instance of arresting...
Definitions
- A check, stop, an act or instance of arresting...
Ancestry of “arrest”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | arester | to stop |
| 2 | Vulgar Latin | arresto | I cause to stop |
| 3 | Latin | restō | to stand firm; to stay behind |
| 4 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 5 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 6 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |