Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “degradation” come from?

Degradation comes from French dégradation, from Latin degradatio (a stepping down), formed from the Latin suffix -tio, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -ti- and -tis.

degradation (English): The act of reducing in rank, character, or...

Definitions

  1. The act of reducing in rank, character, or...

Ancestry of “degradation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchdégradationdegradation
2Latindegradatiodegradation
3Latin-tiō—
4Latindissertātiō—
5Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
6Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “degradation”

  • biodegradation
  • photodegradation
  • antidegradation
  • degradational
  • phytodegradation
  • autodegradation
  • thermodegradation
  • immunodegradation
  • hydrodegradation
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →