Where does “retort” come from?
Retort comes from Latin retortus, the past participle of retorqueo, meaning to twist back, from re- and torqueo, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European wer- meaning to turn.
retort (English): A sharp or witty reply, or one which turns an...
Definitions
- A sharp or witty reply, or one which turns an...
Ancestry of “retort”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | retorte | retort |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | retorta | nominative feminine singular of retortus;... |
| 3 | Latin | retortus | twisted, turned, bent |
| 4 | Latin | retorqueo | I twist, turn, bend or cast back; avert, deflect;... |
| 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 |