Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “banditry” come from?

Banditry derives from English bandit, from Italian bandito, from Italian bandire meaning "to banish," from Frankish bannjan meaning "to proclaim" or "to summon."

banditry (English): Acts characteristic of a bandit; armed robbery

Definitions

  1. Acts characteristic of a bandit; armed robbery

Ancestry of “banditry”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbanditOne who robs others in a lawless area, especially...
2Italianbanditobandit, outlaw; past participle of bandire
3Italianbandireto announce; to ban; to banish
4LatinbannioI proclaim; I proscribe
5Frankishbannijan—
6Proto-Germanicbannanąto proclaim, to order; to summon; to ban
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-to shine, glow light; to speak, say
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-s-ri-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-s-ri- →