Where does “tarnishment” come from?
tarnishment (English) comes from English tarnish, from Middle English ternysshen, from Old French ternir, from Old High German *ternen.
tarnishment (English): tarnishing
Ancestry of “tarnishment”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | tarnish | Oxidation or discoloration, especially of a... |
| 2 | Middle English | ternysshen | — |
| 3 | Old French | ternir | to make dim, make wan |
| 4 | Old High German | *ternen | — |