Where does “enormity” come from?
Enormity comes from Middle English ēnorme, from Old French énormité, from Latin enormitas, derived from Latin norma meaning "rule" or "standard," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵneh₃- meaning "to know."
enormity (English): Deviation from what is normal or standard;...
Definitions
- Deviation from what is normal or standard;...
Ancestry of “enormity”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ēnorme | monstrous or unnatural act; enormity |
| 2 | Old French | énormité | enormity |
| 3 | Latin | ēnormitās | irregularity |
| 4 | Latin | ēnōrmis | irregular, unusual |
| 5 | Latin | nōrma | a carpenter’s square |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | γνώμων | interpreter, discerner; carpenter's square;... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | γιγνώσκω | I am aware of; I perceive, observe, know, learn;... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵn̥h₃sḱéti | to recognise |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵneh₃- | to know |