Where does “impeach” come from?
Impeach comes from Middle English empechen, from Anglo-Norman empecher, from Old French empeechier, from Latin impedicare meaning to fetter or hinder, formed from the prefix in- and a root related to Latin pes meaning foot.
impeach (English): To hinder, impede, or prevent; To bring a legal...
Definitions
- To hinder, impede, or prevent; To bring a legal...
Ancestry of “impeach”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | empechen | To hinder; to impede; To formally accuse |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | empecher | — |
| 3 | Old French | empeechier | to fetter; to hinder |
| 4 | Latin | impedico | I fetter; I entangle |
| 5 | Latin | pēdica | shackle, fetter |
| 6 | Latin | pēs | a foot, in its senses as |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | μέτρον | something used to measure: measure, rule, weight;... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | -τρον | Forms instrument nouns |
| 9 | Proto-Hellenic | -tron | Forms instrument nouns from verb stems |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -trom | Forms nouns denoting a tool or instrument |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | -tḗr | Derives agent nouns from verbs, denoting someone... |