English
ransom
Ransom comes from Old French raençon ‘fee paid to release someone from prison or…’, from Latin redemptiō ‘redemption, redeeming (buying back)’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- ‘to take’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁em-‘to take’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁émetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*emō‘to take’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEemō‘to buy, purchase’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEredimō‘to buy back, repurchase, redeem’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEredemptiō‘redemption, redeeming (buying back)’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400raençon‘fee paid to release someone from prison or captivity’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500raunsoun
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588ransom
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁em-‘to take’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁émetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*emō‘to take’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEemō‘to buy, purchase’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEredimō‘to buy back, repurchase, redeem’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEredemptiō‘redemption, redeeming (buying back)’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400raençon‘fee paid to release someone from prison or captivity’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500raunsoun
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588ransom
Earliest quotation: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “And gainſt the General we will lift our ſwords…”
The story
Entered English ca. the 13th century.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- ‘to take’
exempt, pommel, pomade, 56 more
through Proto-Italic *emō ‘to take’
assume, presume, sumptuous, 47 more
through Latin emō ‘to buy, purchase’
consumer, premium, resume, assumption, consume, exemption, résumé, consumable, preemption, emptor, overconsumption, 42 more
through Latin redimō ‘to buy back, repurchase, redeem’
through Latin redemptiō ‘redemption, redeeming (buying back)’
Today it means
noun Money paid for the freeing of a hostage.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁em- / ransom