Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “dismiss” come from?

Dismiss comes from Latin dimissus, past participle of dimitto, combining Latin mittere and mitto meaning "to send," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European mey- and dwóh₁.

dismiss (English): To discharge; to end the employment or service...

Definitions

  1. To discharge; to end the employment or service...

Ancestry of “dismiss”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latindimissussent away, dismissed, banished
2Latindīmittō—
3Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
4Latincalceusshoe
5Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
6Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “dismiss”

  • dismissal
  • dismissive
  • dismissively
  • dismission
  • dismissiveness
  • dismissible
  • dismissable
  • dismisseth
  • dismissest
  • dismisser
  • dismissably
  • dismissee
  • antidismissal
  • undismissive
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →