Where does “opprobrious” come from?
Opprobrious comes from Old French oprobrieus, from Late Latin opprobriosus, combining Latin ob- (against) with obolus (small coin or pointed object), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- (to pierce).
opprobrious (English): Of or relating to opprobrium or disgrace; Tending...
Definitions
- Of or relating to opprobrium or disgrace; Tending...
Ancestry of “opprobrious”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | oprobrieus | — |
| 2 | Late Latin | opprobriosus | opprobrious |
| 3 | Latin | opprobrium | reproach, taunt; scandal, disgrace, dishonour,... |
| 4 | Latin | opprobrō | to reproach, upbraid, taunt |
| 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 |