English
defy
Defy comes from Old French desfier ‘to defy’, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare ‘renounce one's faith’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- ‘to trust’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeydʰ-‘to trust’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeydʰós‘faithful, trustworthy’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*feiðos‘faithful, reliable’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfidus‘faithful’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*disfidare‘renounce one's faith’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400desfier‘to defy’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1604–1606defy
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeydʰ-‘to trust’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰeydʰós‘faithful, trustworthy’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*feiðos‘faithful, reliable’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfidus‘faithful’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*disfidare‘renounce one's faith’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400desfier‘to defy’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1604–1606defy
Earliest quotation: c. 1604–1606, A Trick to Catch the Old One: “Dear perfum'd jackets, pennyless breeches; / Dutch flapdragons, healths…”
The story
Meaning shifted in the 14th century from "be disloyal" to "challenge".
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- ‘to trust’
confidence, confident, affidavit, fidelity, abide, fiduciary, confidant, foi, fealty, confide, bode, infidel, bide, perfidy, diffident, 23 more
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰós ‘faithful, trustworthy’
federally, federalist, federalism, 11 more
through Proto-Italic *feiðos ‘faithful, reliable’
federal, federation, confederate, 15 more
through Old French desfier ‘to defy’
Today it means
verb To challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- / defy