Where does “deterrent” come from?
Deterrent comes from Latin deterrens, the present participle of deterrere, formed from the prefix de- and the root ter-, meaning to frighten or cause to flee.
deterrent (English): Serving to deter, preventing something from...
Definitions
- Serving to deter, preventing something from...
Ancestry of “deterrent”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | deterrens | deterring, hindering; averting, repressing |
| 2 | Latin | dēterreō | to frighten off, deter, discourage, prevent, hinder |
| 3 | Latin | terreō | to frighten, terrify, alarm |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | tres- | to tremble |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ter- | tender, weak; young creature |
| 6 | Italian | termine | end, close; limit, term, date, time; term, word |
| 7 | Latin | terminus | a boundary, limit, end |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | termenos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | térmn̥ | boundary, end |