Where does “pervert” come from?
Pervert comes from Old French pervertir, from Latin perverto, composed of the prefix per- and a root from Proto-Indo-European wer- meaning to turn or bend.
pervert (English): One who has been perverted; one who has turned to...
Definitions
- One who has been perverted; one who has turned to...
Ancestry of “pervert”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | pervertir | to lead astray; to be led astray |
| 2 | Latin | perverto | I overthrow; I subvert or corrupt |
| 3 | Latin | vertō | to turn, turn oneself, direct one's way, to turn about, turn around, revolve |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | wertō | to turn |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | wert- | to turn, to rotate |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |