English
compunction
Compunction comes from Late Latin compunctionem ‘a pricking’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *pewǵ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pewǵ-‘prick, punch’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*pungō‘to prick, sting’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpungōas pungere‘to prick’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcompungere‘to severely prick’next step skipped: Latin compungō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcompunctus‘pricked, punctured’past participle of compungere
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcompunctionem‘a pricking’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400compunction
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500compunccion
- Englishearliest quotation 1834compunction
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pewǵ-‘prick, punch’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*pungō‘to prick, sting’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpungōas pungere‘to prick’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcompungere‘to severely prick’next step skipped: Latin compungō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcompunctus‘pricked, punctured’past participle of compungere
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcompunctionem‘a pricking’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400compunction
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500compunccion
- Englishearliest quotation 1834compunction
Earliest quotation: 1834, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, London: Richard Bentley: “Besides, to do De Joinville justice, he felt, too,…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pewǵ- ‘prick, punch’
fuck, fist, pivot, repugnant, pygmy, pugnacious, impugn, 39 more
through Proto-Italic *pungō ‘to prick, sting’
through Latin pungō ‘to prick’
point, punch, poignant, puncture, pungent, punto, pugilist, punctuate, 20 more
Today it means
noun A pricking of conscience or a feeling of regret, especially one which is slight or fleeting.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pewǵ- / compunction