Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “expunge” come from?

Expunge comes from Latin expungere, composed of ex and pungere, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European eǵ-.

expunge (English): To erase or strike out; To eliminate completely;...

Definitions

  1. To erase or strike out; To eliminate completely;...

Ancestry of “expunge”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinexpungoI strike out, cross out, blot out, erase; I...
2Latinpungō—
3Proto-Italicpungōto prick, to sting
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpewǵ-to punch, fist-fight; to prick, poke, stab

Words derived from “expunge”

  • expungement
  • inexpungable
  • inexpungible
  • expunger
  • expungible
  • expungable
  • expungee
  • unexpungable
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pewǵ- →