Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “exorciser” come from?

exorciser (English) comes from English exorcise, from Old French exorciser, from Latin exorcizō, from Ancient Greek ἐξορκίζω, from Ancient Greek ἐξ, from Ancient Greek Ὕπνος, from Proto-Hellenic húpnos, from Proto-Indo-European supnós — to sleep.

exorciser (English): One who performs an exorcism

Definitions

  1. One who performs an exorcism

Ancestry of “exorciser”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishexorciseTo drive out from a person, place or thing,...
2Old Frenchexorciser—
3Latinexorcizō—
4Ancient Greekἐξορκίζωbanish an evil spirit; bind by oath
5Ancient GreekἐξAlternative form of ἐκ; out; from, out of
6Ancient GreekὝπνος—
7Proto-Hellenichúpnos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeansupnóssleep; death
9Proto-Indo-Europeanswóp-r̥ ~ swép-n̥s—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanswep-to sleep
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swep- →