Where does “extortionate” come from?
extortionate (English) comes from English extortion, from Middle English extorcion, from Late Latin extortio, from Latin extorqueo, from Latin torqueō, from Proto-Indo-European terkʷ- — to turn, spin.
extortionate (English): Of, related to or typifying extortion; Greatly...
Definitions
- Of, related to or typifying extortion; Greatly...
Ancestry of “extortionate”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | extortion | The practice of extorting money or other property... |
| 2 | Middle English | extorcion | Extortion; being threatening for the purpose of... |
| 3 | Late Latin | extortio | — |
| 4 | Latin | extorqueo | I extort; I tear away, twist away, wrench out |
| 5 | Latin | torqueō | to spin, whirl, twirl, turn, cause to revolve |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | terkʷ- | to turn, spin |