English
renounce
Renounce comes from Old French renoncier, from Latin renūntiō ‘to reject, retract, renounce or revoke’, and ultimately from nūntius ‘a messenger, reporter, courier’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnūntius‘a messenger, reporter, courier’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnūntiō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErenūntiō‘to reject, retract, renounce or revoke’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400renoncier
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606renounce
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnūntius‘a messenger, reporter, courier’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnūntiō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErenūntiō‘to reject, retract, renounce or revoke’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400renoncier
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606renounce
Earliest quotation: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of King Lear: “This world I do renounce, and in your sights…”
Linked words
through Latin nūntius ‘a messenger, reporter, courier’
nuncio, pronouncement, 11 more
through Latin nūntiō
announce, pronunciation, pronounce, annunciation, denounce, enunciate, enunciation, 9 more
through Latin renūntiō ‘to reject, retract, renounce or revoke’
Today it means
noun An act of renouncing.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin nūntius / renounce