Etymograph

English

ammunition

Ammunition comes from French munition ‘the war supplies’, from Latin mūniō ‘to provide with defensive works, fortify’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mey- ‘to attach, bind, strengthen’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mey-‘to attach, bind, strengthen’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*móynireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moinireconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmoene‘wall, fortification’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmūniō‘to provide with defensive works, fortify’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmūnitiōnem
  7. Frenchc. 1600–presentmunition‘the war supplies’
  8. French, derivedc. 1600–presentamunition
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1938ammunition

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mey-‘to attach, bind, strengthen’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*móynireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moinireconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmoene‘wall, fortification’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmūniō‘to provide with defensive works, fortify’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmūnitiōnem
  7. Frenchc. 1600–presentmunition‘the war supplies’
  8. French, derivedc. 1600–presentamunition
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1938ammunition

Earliest quotation: 1938, American Lumberman: “They say that the booklet gives them ammunition which…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *mey- ‘to attach, bind, strengthen’

mean, met, minute, minister, common, community, minor, mess, commission, meal, ministry, min, menu, compromise, missile, mere, mutual, minus, commit, communication, dismiss, premise, communist, communicate, mole, immune, mayhem, noodle, moor, mural, intermittent, communism, communal, municipality, immunity, mite, omit, commune, minstrel, communion, 78 more

through Latin mūnitiōnem

ammo

Today it means

noun Articles used in charging firearms and ordnance of all kinds; as powder, balls, shot, shells, percussion caps, rockets, etc.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *mey- / ammunition

Shirt and support for this word