Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “spoliation” come from?

Spoliation comes from Latin spoliatio, a noun formed with the suffix -tio from the Proto-Indo-European -ti- and -tis noun-forming elements that descended through Old Latin -os and Proto-Italic -os.

spoliation (English): The act of plundering or spoiling; robbery;...

Definitions

  1. The act of plundering or spoiling; robbery;...

Ancestry of “spoliation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishspoliacioun—
2Latinspoliatiorobbing, plundering
3Latinspoliāre—
4Latinspoliumthe skin or hide of an animal stripped off; the...
5Proto-Indo-European(s)pel-to split in two, split in half; to speak with a...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)pel- →