Where does “rebel” come from?
Rebel comes from Middle English rebellen, from Old French rebeller, from Latin rebellis, formed from the prefix re- and Latin bellus.
rebel (English): A person who resists an established authority,...
Definitions
- A person who resists an established authority,...
Ancestry of “rebel”, step by step
rebel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English rebel
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | rebel | A sinner; A rebel; One who refuses to follow... |
| 2 | Old French | rebelle | rebellious; rebel |
| 3 | Latin | rebellis | That makes war anew, waging war again; insurgent,... |
| 4 | Latin | rebellō | to renew war, to wage war again |
| 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 |
via German Rebel
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Rebel | — |