Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “refuse” come from?

Refuse comes from English refuse, from Italian rifiutare, from Latin recusare meaning "to reject," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European wer- meaning "to turn."

refuse (English): Discarded, rejected; Collectively, items or...

Definitions

  1. Discarded, rejected; Collectively, items or...

Ancestry of “refuse”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfuseA cord that, when lit, conveys the fire to some...
2EnglishfusionThe act of merging separate elements, or the...
3Middle Frenchfusionfusion
4Old Frenchfusion—
5Latinfusioa pouring out; an outpouring, effusion; a...
6Latin-tiō—
7Latindissertātiō—
8Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
9Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
10Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
11Latincalceusshoe
12Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
13Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “refuse”

  • refusing
  • refuser
  • refuseth
  • refusenik
  • refusest
  • refusable
  • irrefusable
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →