Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “libertinism” come from?

Libertinism derives from English libertine, from Latin libertinus meaning freedman, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European lewbʰ- meaning to break free or separate.

libertinism (English): A lifestyle or pattern of behavior characterized...

Definitions

  1. A lifestyle or pattern of behavior characterized...

Ancestry of “libertinism”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlibertineSomeone freed from slavery in Ancient Rome; a...
2Frenchlibertinlibertine
3LatinlibertinusOf or pertaining to the qualities of a freedman;...
4Latinlībertus—
5LatinLīber—
6Old Latinloeber—
7Frenchloberto lob
8Frenchloblob
9EnglishlobTo throw or hit a ball into the air in a high...
10EnglishlongHaving much distance from one terminating point...
11EnglishlongitudeAngular distance measured west or east of the...
12Old Frenchlongitude—
13Latinlongitūdō—
14Latinlongusfar, long; extended, prolonged; long; tedious,...
15Latin-ē—
16Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
17Latincalceusshoe
18Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
Every word from Latin calx →