Where does “nonguilty” come from?

nonguilty (English) comes from English guilty, from Middle English gilty, from Old English gyltiġ, from Old English gylt, from Lithuanian gulti, from Proto-Kartvelian gwel- — snake.

nonguilty (English): Not guilty

Definitions

  1. Not guilty

Ancestry of “nonguilty”, step by step

nonguilty traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English guilty

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishguiltyResponsible for a dishonest act; Judged to have...
2Middle Englishgiltyguilty
3Old Englishgyltiġoffending, guilty
4Old Englishgyltguilt
5Lithuaniangultilie, lie down; fall ill, sick; wilt, droop
6Proto-Kartveliangwel-snake

via English non

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishnonObsolete form of none
2Frenchnonno; not; a no, a negative response
3Old Frenchnonno; not; Alternative form of nom
4Latinnōnnot
5Old Latinnoenum—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single
Every word from Proto-Kartvelian gwel- →Every word from Lithuanian gulti →Every word from Old English gylt →
nonguilty — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer