Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nefandous” come from?

nefandous (English) comes from Latin nefandus, from Latin fari, from Latin for, from Proto-Italic fāōr, from Proto-Indo-European bʰéh₂ti — to speak, to be talking.

nefandous (English): Unspeakable, appalling

Definitions

  1. Unspeakable, appalling

Ancestry of “nefandous”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinnefandusimpious; heinous, execrable, abominable
2Latinfaripresent active infinitive of for; I speak, say;...
3Latinfor"defective"; I speak, talk, say
4Proto-Italicfāōrspeak
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰéh₂tito speak, to be talking
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰéh₂ti →