Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “dangerous” come from?

dangerous (Middle English) comes from Old French dangereus, from Old French dangier, from Latin domniārium, from Latin Dominus, from Latin domus, from Proto-Italic domos, from Proto-Indo-European dṓm, from Proto-Indo-European dem- — to build; to arrange, to put together.

dangerous (Middle English): difficult, severe, domineering, arrogant, fraught...

Definitions

  1. difficult, severe, domineering, arrogant, fraught...

Ancestry of “dangerous”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchdangereusthreatening, difficult
2Old Frenchdangierdifficulty; problem; danger
3Latindomniārium—
4LatinDominusthe Lord; Lord; The Lord
5Latindomushouse, home; any building or abode; native place,...
6Proto-Italicdomoshouse, home
7Proto-Indo-Europeandṓmhome; house
8Proto-Indo-Europeandem-to build; to arrange, to put together

Words derived from “dangerous”

  • dangerous
  • dangerously
  • dangerousness
  • nondangerous
  • undangerous
  • undangerousness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dem- →