English
indignation
Indignation comes from Latin indignātiō ‘displeasure, indignation, disdain’, from indignor ‘to scorn, resent’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- ‘to take’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deḱ-‘to take’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*deḱ-noreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dek-no-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdignus‘worthy, appropriate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEindignus‘unworthy, not fitting’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEindignor‘to scorn, resent’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEindignātiō‘displeasure, indignation, disdain’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400indignation
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500indignacioun‘anger, ire, wrath’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596indignation
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deḱ-‘to take’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*deḱ-noreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dek-no-reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdignus‘worthy, appropriate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEindignus‘unworthy, not fitting’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEindignor‘to scorn, resent’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEindignātiō‘displeasure, indignation, disdain’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400indignation
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500indignacioun‘anger, ire, wrath’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1596indignation
Earliest quotation: c. 1596, William Shakespeare, The Life and Death of King Iohn: “The Iron of it ſelfe, though heate red hot,…”
The story
Attested since ca. 1374.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- ‘to take’
doctor, document, decent, tail, doctrine, decor, paradox, dogma, docile, dodo, doctrinal, fonda, décor, dox, docent, 56 more
through Latin dignus ‘worthy, appropriate’
Today it means
noun An anger aroused by something perceived as an indignity, notably an offense or injustice.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- / indignation