Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sanctions” come from?

Sanctions derives from Middle French sanction, from Latin sanctio meaning an authoritative decree, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European seh₂k- meaning to sanctify or make sacred.

sanctions (English): plural of sanction; Third-person singular simple...

Definitions

  1. plural of sanction; Third-person singular simple...

Ancestry of “sanctions”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsanctionAn approval, by an authority, generally one that...
2Middle Frenchsanction—
3Latinsanctiō—
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “sanctions”

  • antisanctions
  • presanctions
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →