Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “misdemeanant” come from?

misdemeanant (English) comes from English misdemean, 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 — afterwards, post; by, at.

misdemeanant (English): One who commits misdemeanors

Definitions

  1. One who commits misdemeanors

Ancestry of “misdemeanant”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmisdemeanTo behave badly; with a reflexive pronoun, i.e....
2EnglishdemeanTo debase; to lower; to degrade; To humble,...
3Middle Englishdemenen—
4Anglo-Normandemenerto lead
5Old Frenchdemenerto lead
6Old Frenchdé-—
7Latindē-—
8Latindē—
9Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
10Latinposteablative singular of postis
11Proto-Italicposti—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at
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