English
detain
Detain comes from Old French detenir ‘to detain’, from Latin teneō ‘hold’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘to stretch, extend’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-‘to stretch, extend’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tn̥eh₁yétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tenēō‘to hold’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEteneō‘hold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdetineoas detinere‘to hold or keep off or back, detain, check’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400detenir‘to detain’
- Englishearliest quotation 1651detain
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-‘to stretch, extend’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tn̥eh₁yétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tenēō‘to hold’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEteneō‘hold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdetineoas detinere‘to hold or keep off or back, detain, check’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400detenir‘to detain’
- Englishearliest quotation 1651detain
Earliest quotation: 1651, Jeremy Taylor, Of Christian Justice: “Detain not the wages of the hireling: […]”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘to stretch, extend’
tight, tone, ton, tune, maintenance, entertainment, tender, obtain, tonic, tendon, pertinent, pristine, tenacious, countenance, tetanus, tantra, tendinitis, hypotenuse, retentive, maintainer, 63 more
through Proto-Italic *tenēō ‘to hold’
container, incontinent, 19 more
through Latin teneō ‘hold’
content, continue, tennis, continuous, continent, contain, tenant, retention, tenor, sustain, continuum, retain, tenacity, rein, abstinence, sustenance, tenement, incontinence, tenet, abstention, abstain, tenable, pertain, retinue, continence, abstinent, 21 more
through Latin detineo ‘to hold or keep off or back, detain, check’
Today it means
verb To keep something from proceeding or coming to completion; to delay.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ten- / detain