English
inhibition
Inhibition comes from Latin inhibitio ‘restraint’, from habeō ‘to have, hold’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- ‘to grab, take’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰeh₁bʰ-‘to grab, take’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰh₁bʰéh₁yetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*haβēō‘to have, hold’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabeō‘to have, hold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinhibeō‘to lay hold of, keep back, restrain, curb, check, stop’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinhibitio‘restraint’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400inibicion
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inhibicioun
- Englishearliest quotation 1961inhibition
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰeh₁bʰ-‘to grab, take’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰh₁bʰéh₁yetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*haβēō‘to have, hold’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhabeō‘to have, hold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinhibeō‘to lay hold of, keep back, restrain, curb, check, stop’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinhibitio‘restraint’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400inibicion
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500inhibicioun
- Englishearliest quotation 1961inhibition
Earliest quotation: 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs: “Often the guests, affected by the wine drinking, released…”
Formed from inhibit + -ion
Latin habeō ‘to have, hold, keep’
Latin inhibeō ‘to hold in, check, restrain’
Latin inhibitus ‘restrained, inhibited’
English inhibit
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- ‘to grab, take’
doubt, habitat, endeavor, dubious, prohibition, gab, javelin, prohibitive, aver, 24 more
through Proto-Italic *haβēō ‘to have, hold’
through Latin habeō ‘to have, hold’
able, due, average, ability, habit, exhibition, debit, prohibit, haver, debenture, habilitation, 23 more
Today it means
noun The act of inhibiting.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- / inhibition