Where does “refute” come from?
Refute comes from Latin refutāre, formed from the prefix re- and a root from Proto-Italic wre, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European wert- and wer-.
refute (English): To prove to be false or incorrect; To deny the...
Definitions
- To prove to be false or incorrect; To deny the...
Ancestry of “refute”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | refutō | to check, repress |
| 2 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 3 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 4 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |