Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “depredation” come from?

Depredation comes from Middle French déprédation, from Latin depraedatio, a noun formed with the suffix -tio from the verb stem combining Latin de- and prae with the root gʰed- meaning to seize or take.

depredation (English): An act of consuming agricultural resources ,...

Definitions

  1. An act of consuming agricultural resources ,...

Ancestry of “depredation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchdéprédation—
2Latindepraedatioplundering, pillaging; depredation
3LatindepraedorI plunder, pillage, ravage
4LatinpraedorI acquire loot, such as through robbery or war; I...
5Latinpraedaplunder, spoils of war, booty; prey, game taken...
6Latinpraeheda—
7Latinpraebefore; in front; in front of
8Proto-Italicprai—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpreh₂-before, in front
10Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →