Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “redefine” come from?

Redefine comes from Middle English re- prefixed to define, with re- from Old French re- and Latin re- (meaning "again"), while define derives from Latin dēfīnīre, combining de- and fīnīre (meaning "to set bounds").

redefine (English): To define again or differently

Definitions

  1. To define again or differently

Ancestry of “redefine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdefineTo determine with precision; to mark out with...
2Middle Englishdefinen—
3Old Frenchdefinerto finish; to end
4Latindēfīniō—
5Latindē-—
6Latindē—
7Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
8Latinposteablative singular of postis
9Proto-Italicposti—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

Words derived from “redefine”

  • redefinable
  • redefiner
  • redefinability
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →