Where does “puniss-” come from?
puniss- (Old French) comes from Old French punir, from Latin puniō, from Latin poenā, from Ancient Greek ποινή, from Proto-Hellenic kʷoinā́, from Proto-Indo-European kʷoynéh₂, from Proto-Indo-European kʷey- — to pay; to avenge.
Ancestry of “puniss-”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | punir | to punish |
| 2 | Latin | puniō | — |
| 3 | Latin | poenā | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ποινή | blood money, wergeld; fine, ransom, penalty,... |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | kʷoinā́ | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷoynéh₂ | payment; punishment, vengeance |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷey- | to pay; to avenge |