Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “misdemean” come from?

misdemean (English) comes from English demean, from Middle English demenen, from Anglo-Norman demener, from Old French demener, from Old French dé-, from Latin dē-, from Latin dē, from Latin post — afterwards, post; by, at.

misdemean (English): To behave badly; with a reflexive pronoun, i.e....

Definitions

  1. To behave badly; with a reflexive pronoun, i.e....

Ancestry of “misdemean”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdemeanTo debase; to lower; to degrade; To humble,...
2Middle Englishdemenen—
3Anglo-Normandemenerto lead
4Old Frenchdemenerto lead
5Old Frenchdé-—
6Latindē-—
7Latindē—
8Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
9Latinposteablative singular of postis
10Proto-Italicposti—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →