Where does “criminology” come from?
Criminology derives from English criminal plus the suffix -logy, with criminal coming from Middle English cryminal, Anglo-Norman criminal, and Latin criminalis, meaning relating to crime or accusation.
criminology (English): The study of crime and criminals, especially...
Definitions
- The study of crime and criminals, especially...
Ancestry of “criminology”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | criminal | Against the law; forbidden by law; Guilty of... |
| 2 | Middle English | cryminal | Relating to crime or illegal actions; criminal;... |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | criminal | criminal; illegal; against the law |
| 4 | Latin | crīminālis | criminal |
| 5 | Latin | crīmen | a judicial decision, verdict, or judgment |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | kreimen | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kréymn̥ | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | krey- | to sift, separate, divide |