Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “avowal” come from?

Avowal comes from English avow, which derives from Latin advoco meaning to call to or appeal to, from the prefix ad- and root wekʷ- meaning to speak.

avowal (English): An open declaration of affirmation or admission...

Definitions

  1. An open declaration of affirmation or admission...

Ancestry of “avowal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishavowTo declare openly and boldly, as something...
2Middle Englishavowen—
3Old Frenchavouer—
4Latinadvocāre—
5LatinAd—
6Latinilliche, she, it, yonder, that, overthere; in that...
7Latinillethat; those; "; demonstrative pronoun "; that...
8LatinolleArchaic form of ille
9Proto-Italic*olnos—

Words derived from “avowal”

  • reavowal
Every word from Proto-Italic *olnos →