Where does “ransom” come from?
Ransom comes from Middle English ransoun, from Old French raençon, from Latin redemptio meaning "a buying back," derived from the prefix re- and the root wert- meaning "to turn."
ransom (English): Money paid for the freeing of a hostage; The...
Definitions
- Money paid for the freeing of a hostage; The...
Ancestry of “ransom”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | ransoun | Alternative form of raunsoun |
| 2 | Old French | raençon | fee paid to release someone from prison or... |
| 3 | Latin | redemptio | redemption, redeeming |
| 4 | Latin | redimō | to buy back, repurchase, redeem |
| 5 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 6 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 7 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |