Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “reformation” come from?

Reformation derives from Latin reformatio, formed from re- and forma meaning "shape," which comes from Ancient Greek μορφή and ultimately Proto-Indo-European wer-.

reformation (English): An improvement in the existing form or condition...

Definitions

  1. An improvement in the existing form or condition...

Ancestry of “reformation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishreformacioun—
2Middle Frenchreformation—
3Latinreformatioreform, reformation, change
4Latinrefōrmō—
5Latinrĕ-—
6Latinprōdūcō—
7Latinprō-—
8Proto-Italic*pro-—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
11Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “reformation”

  • reformational
  • unreformation
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →