Etymograph

English

labefaction

Labefaction comes from Latin labefaciō ‘to cause to totter, shake, loosen, make ready…’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaciō‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElabefaciō‘to cause to totter, shake, loosen, make ready to fall’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1963labefaction

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaciō‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElabefaciō‘to cause to totter, shake, loosen, make ready to fall’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1963labefaction

Earliest quotation: 1963, C. N. Stavrou, Religion in Byron's Don Juan: “Man's labefaction did not occur in time past; nor…”

Linked words

through Proto-Italic *θakjō

effectively, effectiveness, ineffective, affectionate, imperfection, 63 more

through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’

effective, difficulty, factor, interface, manufacture, perfection, affection, imperfect, facet, affective, defector, effector, defection, deface, affectation, confectionary, putrefaction, 68 more

through Latin faciō ‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’

face, difficult, perfect, fact, feature, profit, effect, affect, facility, efficient, sacrifice, affair, faculty, feat, deficit, infection, facial, facilitate, superficial, fetish, efficacy, counterfeit, defect, infect, deficient, facade, façade, facsimile, hacienda, maleficent, difficile, parfait, aficionado, beautify, efficacious, confit, facies, refectory, confection, beneficent, 85 more

Today it means

noun The act of shaking or weakening or the resulting state; overthrow, ruination.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- / labefaction

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