Where does “indifference” come from?
Indifference comes from Middle French indifférence, from Latin indifferentia, the noun form of indifferens, composed of the prefix in- and differens, meaning "not differing" or "making no distinction."
indifference (English): The state of being indifferent; Unbiased...
Definitions
- The state of being indifferent; Unbiased...
Ancestry of “indifference”, step by step
indifference traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle French indifférence
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | indifférence | — |
| 2 | Latin | indifferentia | similarity, equivalence; nominative neuter plural... |
| 3 | Latin | indifferens | indifferent; neither good nor bad; unconcerned |
| 4 | Latin | differēns | spreading, scattering, dispersing, separating |
| 5 | Latin | differre | present active infinitive of differō |
| 6 | Latin | differo | I carry different ways, spread, scatter,... |
| 7 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 8 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 9 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |
via French indifférence
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | indifférence | indifference, uncaringness |