Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “negation” come from?

Negation comes from Middle English negacioun, from Old French negacion, from Latin negatio, derived from the verb nego meaning to deny or refuse, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root ne meaning not.

negation (English): The act of negating something; A denial or...

Definitions

  1. The act of negating something; A denial or...

Ancestry of “negation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishnegacioun—
2Old Frenchnegacion—
3Latinnegatioa denying, denial, refusal, negation; a negative
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “negation”

  • negationist
  • negationism
  • negational
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →