English
impostume
Impostume comes from Old French apostume ‘apostume, large abscess’, and goes back to Ancient Greek ἀπόστεμα.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀπόστεμαapóstema‘separation of pus into an abscess’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEapostema
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400apostume‘apostume, large abscess’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400empostumealteration of apostume
- Englishearliest quotation 1603impostume
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἀπόστεμαapóstema‘separation of pus into an abscess’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEapostema
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400apostume‘apostume, large abscess’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400empostumealteration of apostume
- Englishearliest quotation 1603impostume
Earliest quotation: 1603, Thomas Dekker, London: […] by [J. Browne: “The great impoſtume of the realme vvas dravvne /…”
Every English word from Ancient Greek ἀπόστεμα
Today it means
noun An abscess.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἀπόστεμα / impostume