Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “indict” come from?

Indict comes from Middle English enditen, from Old French enditer, from Late Latin indicto, from Latin indictus, the past participle of indicere meaning to proclaim or declare, formed from the prefix in- and dicere meaning to say.

indict (English): To accuse of wrongdoing; charge; To make a formal...

Definitions

  1. To accuse of wrongdoing; charge; To make a formal...

Ancestry of “indict”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishenditen—
2Old FrenchenditerAlternative form of enditier
3Late Latinindictodative masculine singular of indictus; dative...
4Latinindictusdeclared, proclaimed, published, announced,...
5Latindictussaid, uttered; mentioned, spoken, having been...
6Latindīcō—
7Latin-tiō—
8Latindissertātiō—
9Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
10Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
11Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
12Latincalceusshoe
13Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
14Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “indict”

  • indictable
  • indictor
  • indictee
  • reindict
  • indicter
  • unindictable
  • nonindictable
  • indictability
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →