Where does “genocide” come from?
Genocide derives from Latin gens, meaning clan or tribe, combined with the Greek suffix -cide meaning killing, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- meaning to beget or produce.
genocide (English): The systematic killing of substantial numbers of...
Definitions
- The systematic killing of substantial numbers of...
Ancestry of “genocide”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -cide | killing; killer |
| 2 | Middle French | -cide | — |
| 3 | Latin | -cīdium | — |
| 4 | Latin | -ium | Suffix used to form abstract nouns, sometimes... |
| 5 | Latin | -ius | forming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -jōs | Forms comparative adjectives |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yós | Creates adjectives from noun or verb stems |