Etymograph

English

torsion

Torsion comes from Latin tortiō ‘torment, torture’, from torqueō ‘twist, turn’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*terkʷ-‘to turn, spin’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*torkʷ-éye-tireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*torkʷejōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*torkʷeōreconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtorqueō‘twist, turn’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtortiō‘torment, torture’
  7. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEtorsiōnem
  8. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600torsion
  9. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500torcion
  10. Englishtodaytorsion

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*terkʷ-‘to turn, spin’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*torkʷ-éye-tireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*torkʷejōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*torkʷeōreconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtorqueō‘twist, turn’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtortiō‘torment, torture’
  7. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEtorsiōnem
  8. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600torsion
  9. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500torcion
  10. Englishtodaytorsion

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ- ‘to turn, spin’

queer, tart, thwart, trowel, tortious, 18 more

through Proto-Italic *torkʷeō

retort, extort, tortuous, torturous, contortion, 15 more

through Latin torqueō ‘twist, turn’

torture, torch, torque, torment, distort, extortion, tort, 20 more

Today it means

noun The act of turning or twisting, or the state of being twisted; the twisting or wrenching of a body by the exertion of a lateral force tending to turn one end or part of it about a longitudinal axis, while the other is held fast or turned in the opposite direction.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ- / torsion

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