Where does “detestable” come from?
Detestable comes from Middle French détestable, from Old French detestable, from Latin detestabilis, meaning worthy of being cursed, derived from detestari, to curse or invoke against, from de- and testor, to bear witness, related to testis, witness.
detestable (English): Stimulating disgust or detestation; offensive;...
Definitions
- Stimulating disgust or detestation; offensive;...
Ancestry of “detestable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | détestable | — |
| 2 | Old French | detestable | — |
| 3 | Latin | detestabilis | execrable, abominable, detestable |
| 4 | Latin | -bilis | -ble |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -ðlis | Forms adjectives from verb stems indicating capacity or worth of being acted on |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlom | Alternative form of *-trom; instrumental suffix;... |