Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “imposition” come from?

Imposition comes from Middle English imposicioun, from Old French imposicion, from Latin impositio, formed from the Latin verb imponere using the suffix -tio, with in- meaning "on" or "upon" and the root from Proto-Indo-European ne.

imposition (English): The act of imposing, laying on, affixing,...

Definitions

  1. The act of imposing, laying on, affixing,...

Ancestry of “imposition”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishimposiciounA charge or fee or its collection or retrieval;...
2Old Frenchimposicion—
3Latinimpositioapplication
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “imposition”

  • superimposition
  • reimposition
  • impositional
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →