Where does “oppression” come from?
Oppression comes from Middle English oppression, from Old French oppression, from Latin oppressio, the noun form of opprimo meaning to press against or overwhelm, derived from the prefix ob- combined with a root related to Proto-Indo-European per- meaning to strike or press.
oppression (English): The exercise of authority or power in a...
Definitions
- The exercise of authority or power in a...
Ancestry of “oppression”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | oppression | — |
| 2 | Old French | oppression | — |
| 3 | Latin | oppressio | pressing down; oppression, overthrow, suppression |
| 4 | Latin | opprimo | I press down upon; I suppress; I take by... |
| 5 | Latin | ob- | towards; against |
| 6 | Latin | obolus | obolus (Greek coin) |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ὀβολός | obol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | ὀβελός | a spit, rod; a horizontal line |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | βέλος | missile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷélHos | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷelH- | to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing |