Where does “martyrdom” come from?

Martyrdom comes from Old English martyrdōm, a compound of martyr and the suffix -dōm meaning condition or state.

martyrdom (English): The condition of a martyr; the death of a martyr;...

Definitions

  1. The condition of a martyr; the death of a martyr;...

Ancestry of “martyrdom”, step by step

martyrdom traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish martyr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishmartyrmartyr
2Ecclesiastical Latinmartyrmartyr, especially a Christian martyr
3Ancient GreekμάρτυρAeolic form of μᾰ́ρτῠς
4Ancient Greekμάρτυςwitness; martyr

via Old English dōm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishdōmmight, power, glory; judgement; doom, judgment,...
2Proto-Germanicdōmi—
3Proto-Germanicdōnąto do, make; to put, place
4Proto-Indo-Europeandʰéh₁tto put, to place; to do

via Middle English martyrdome

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishmartyrdome—
2Old Englishmartyrdōmmartyrdom

Words derived from “martyrdom”

Every word from Ancient Greek μάρτυς →Every word from Ancient Greek μάρτυρ →Every word from Ecclesiastical Latin martyr →