Etymology Explorer › English

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

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danish-domIndicates a condition, situation or period;...
2Old Danish-dom—
3Old Norse-dómrForms nouns denoting the condition or state of...
4Proto-Germanic-dōmazForms nouns denoting the condition or state of...
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰóh₁mosthat which is put, placed
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰeh₁-to do, put, place
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁- →