Where does “distraction” come from?
Distraction comes from Middle French distraction, from Latin distractio (a pulling apart), derived from Latin distraho (to draw away), built from Latin traho (to pull) and Proto-Indo-European dwís (asunder), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dwóh₁ (two).
distraction (English): Something that distracts; The process of being...
Definitions
- Something that distracts; The process of being...
Ancestry of “distraction”, step by step
distraction traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle French distraction
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | distraction | — |
| 2 | Latin | distractio | A dragging apart; a pulling away; an act of... |
| 3 | Latin | -tiō | tion, -ation, -ing |
| 4 | Latin | dissertātiō | (spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition |
| 5 | Latin | dissertus | arranged, disposed; explained |
| 6 | Latin | disserere | second-person singular future passive indicative... |
| 7 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 8 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 9 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |
via English distract
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | distract | To divert the attention of; To make crazy or... |
| 2 | Latin | distractus | divided, scattered; sold |
| 3 | Latin | distrahō | to draw, pull or drag asunder; tear in pieces, separate forcibly, divide; scatter |
| 4 | Latin | trahō | to drag, pull |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰreǵʰ- | to drag, draw, pull; to draw, drag |