Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “exorcism” come from?

Exorcism comes from Old French exorciser, from Late Latin exorcizo, from Ancient Greek ἐξορκίζω meaning to adjure by oath, derived from ὅρκος oath and ἐκ out, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁eǵʰs.

exorcism (English): The ritual act of driving out evil spirits from...

Definitions

  1. The ritual act of driving out evil spirits from...

Ancestry of “exorcism”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchexorciser—
2Latinexorcizō—
3Ancient Greekἐξορκίζωbanish an evil spirit; bind by oath
4Ancient GreekἐξAlternative form of ἐκ; out; from, out of
5Ancient GreekὝπνος—
6Proto-Hellenichúpnos—
7Proto-Indo-Europeansupnóssleep; death
8Proto-Indo-Europeanswóp-r̥ ~ swép-n̥s—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanswep-to sleep

Words derived from “exorcism”

  • exorcistic
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swep- →