Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “contraband” come from?

Contraband comes from Spanish contrabanda, from Italian contrabando, combining Italian contra (against) with Latin bannum (prohibition or edict).

contraband (English): any goods which are illicit or illegal to...

Definitions

  1. any goods which are illicit or illegal to...

Ancestry of “contraband”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1SpanishcontrabandaArchaic spelling of contrabando
2Frenchcontrebandesmuggling
3Italiancontrabbandosmuggling; contraband; first-person singular...
4Italianbandoannouncement, notice, call; banishment; ban
5LatinbannumAlternative form of bannus; accusative singular...
6Frankishban—
7Proto-Germanicbannanąto proclaim, to order; to summon; to ban
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-to shine, glow light; to speak, say
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-s-ri-—

Words derived from “contraband”

  • contrabandist
  • noncontraband
  • contrabandism
  • contrabander
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂-s-ri- →