Where does “malediction” come from?
Malediction derives from Middle French malédiction, from Latin maledictio, a noun formed from dicere meaning "to speak" and the suffix -tio, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ-.
malediction (English): A curse; Evil speech
Definitions
- A curse; Evil speech
Ancestry of “malediction”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | malediccion | condemnation, punishment |
| 2 | Middle French | malédiction | — |
| 3 | Latin | maledictiō | curse, evil speech |
| 4 | Latin | maledīcō | to slander, speak ill of |
| 5 | Latin | dīcō | to say, talk, speak, utter, mention |
| 6 | Latin | -tiō | tion, -ation, -ing |
| 7 | Latin | dissertātiō | (spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition |
| 8 | Latin | dissertus | arranged, disposed; explained |
| 9 | Latin | disserere | second-person singular future passive indicative... |
| 10 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 11 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 12 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 13 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |