Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cheat” come from?

Cheat comes from Middle English chete, from Old French escheoir meaning to fall to, ultimately from Latin ex meaning out.

cheat (English): To violate rules in order to gain advantage from...

Definitions

  1. To violate rules in order to gain advantage from...

Ancestry of “cheat”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishchete—
2Middle Englishachete—
3Middle Englisheschete—
4Old Frencheschet—
5Old Frenchescheoirto fall; to happen
6Latinexcadēre—
7Latincadēre—
8Latincadō—
9Proto-Italickadōfall, sink
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱad-to fall

Words derived from “cheat”

  • cheating
  • cheater
  • cheatgrass
  • windcheater
  • cheatery
  • cybercheating
  • cheateth
  • noncheating
  • cheaty
  • cheatest
  • cheatee
  • cheatable
  • cheatingly
  • outcheat
  • noncheater
  • cheat grass
  • citön
  • cütön
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱad- →