abdicate

Where does the word "abdicate" come from? It comes from Latin abdicare, and was adopted directly into English (1540s).

Abdicate’s story begins in Latin: abdicare meant “to disown.” 'ab-', away, plus 'dicare', to proclaim. It reached English by 1540s as abdicate. Edward VIII's abdication in 1936 made it famous; it was first recorded in 1532 in the writing of the schoolmaster Leonard Cox, taken straight from Latin. Today, abdicate means to give up a throne.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient abdicare "to disown", 'ab-', away, plus 'dicare', to proclaim.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1540s abdicate "to disown", Edward VIII's abdication in 1936 made it famous; it was first recorded in 1532 in the writing of the schoolmaster Leonard Cox, taken straight from Latin.