Where does “punish” come from?
Punish comes from Middle English punischen, from Old French punir, from Latin punīre meaning to cause pain or suffering.
punish (English): To cause to suffer for crime or misconduct, to...
Definitions
- To cause to suffer for crime or misconduct, to...
Ancestry of “punish”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | punischen | — |
| 2 | Old French | puniss- | — |
| 3 | Old French | punir | to punish |
| 4 | Latin | puniō | to punish |
| 5 | Latin | poenā | penalty, punishment |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ποινή | blood money, wergeld; fine, ransom, penalty,... |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | kʷoinā́ | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷoynéh₂ | payment; punishment, vengeance |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷey- | to pay; to avenge |