Where does “lawbreaker” come from?

lawbreaker (English) comes from English breaker, from English -er, from Middle English -er, from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti — he, she.

lawbreaker (English): One who breaks the law, a criminal

Definitions

  1. One who breaks the law, a criminal

Ancestry of “lawbreaker”, step by step

lawbreaker traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English breaker

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbreakerSomething that breaks; A machine for breaking...
2English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
3Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
4Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
5Latin-ārefirst conjugation
6Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
7Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
8Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
10Chichewaiyehe, she

via English law

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlawThe body of binding rules and regulations,...
2Middle EnglishlaweA law, regulation, or a group of them; Morality,...
3Old Englishlagusea, water, lake; the runic character ᛚ; law,...
4Old Norselǫgfate; situation, the condition that one is given...
5Old Norselága felled tree; log; lying tree
6Old Norseleggjato lay, place, put; to make, build
7Proto-Germaniclagjanąto lay, to place in a resting position
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlegʰ-to lie
Every word from Chichewa iyeEvery word from English -erEvery word from Proto-Indo-European -yéti
lawbreaker — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer