Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sanction” come from?

Sanction comes from Middle French sanction, from Latin sanctio (a decree or penalty), derived from sanctus (holy, sacred), the past participle of Latin sancio (to make sacred or inviolable), from Proto-Indo-European sh₂nékti ~ sh₂nkénti, ultimately from seh₂k-.

sanction (English): An approval, by an authority, generally one that...

Definitions

  1. An approval, by an authority, generally one that...

Ancestry of “sanction”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchsanction—
2Latinsanctiō—
3Latin-tiō—
4Latindissertātiō—
5Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
6Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “sanction”

  • sanctions
  • sanctionable
  • sanctioner
  • sanctional
  • sanctionless
  • sanctionary
  • antisanctions
  • unsanctionable
  • sanctionability
  • presanction
  • presanctions
  • sanctioneer
  • countersanction
  • sanctionably
  • sancionar
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →