Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “embargo” come from?

Embargo comes from Spanish embargar, formed from Latin in- (prefix meaning "in") and Latin in (meaning "in"), ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European ne and h₁én.

embargo (English): An order by the government prohibiting ships from...

Definitions

  1. An order by the government prohibiting ships from...

Ancestry of “embargo”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishembargarto impound; to overwhelm
2Vulgar Latinimbarricare—
3Latinīn-—
4Latinîn—
5Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
6Proto-Italicenin
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin

Words derived from “embargo”

  • preembargo
  • counterembargo
  • Bat-embargo
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →