Where does “demented” come from?
Demented comes from Middle French dément, from Latin demens, composed of de- and mens meaning "mind," literally "out of one's mind."
demented (English): Insane or mentally ill; Suffering from dementia;...
Definitions
- Insane or mentally ill; Suffering from dementia;...
Ancestry of “demented”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | dement | insane, demented; An insane person, or one... |
| 2 | Latin | demento | I make mad or crazy, drive crazy; I bewitch; I... |
| 3 | Latin | dēmēns | out of one’s mind or senses: mad, raving, insane, crazy; more generally: foolish, reckless, distracted, infatuated |
| 4 | Latin | dē- | of; from |
| 5 | Latin | dē | of; concerning; about |
| 6 | Latin | post | behind; after, since, besides, except; behind,... |
| 7 | Latin | poste | ablative singular of postis |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | posti | behind, after |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pósti | after |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pós | afterwards, post; by, at |