Where does “damage” come from?
damage (Middle English) comes from Old French damage, from Old Occitan damnatge, from Vulgar Latin damnaticum, from Latin damnum, from Proto-Italic dapnom, from Proto-Indo-European dh₂pnóm, from Proto-Indo-European deh₂p-, from Proto-Indo-European deh₂- — to share, divide.
Ancestry of “damage”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | damage | damage; injury, hurt, insult |
| 2 | Old Occitan | damnatge | damage; harm, etc |
| 3 | Vulgar Latin | damnaticum | damage |
| 4 | Latin | damnum | damage or injury; loss; a fine |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | dapnom | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dh₂pnóm | expense, investment |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂p- | to sacrifice; to lose |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂- | to share, divide |