Where does “damn” come from?
Damn comes from Middle English dampnen, from Old French dampner, from Latin damnare meaning "to condemn," derived from Latin damnum meaning "loss or damage."
damn (English): To condemn to hell; To condemn; to declare...
Definitions
- To condemn to hell; To condemn; to declare...
Ancestry of “damn”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | dampnen | to damn |
| 2 | Old French | dampner | to damn |
| 3 | Latin | damnō | to discredit, find fault, disapprove, reject |
| 4 | Latin | damnum | damage or injury; loss; a fine |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | dapnom | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dh₂pnóm | expense, investment |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂p- | to sacrifice; to lose |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂- | to share, divide |