avert

Where does the word "avert" come from? It comes from Latin avertere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Avert’s story begins in Latin: avertere meant “to turn away.” To turn away, from ab- (away) and vertere (to turn). It reached English by 1400s as avert. Settled as the English word for turning away or preventing something. Today, avert means to prevent something bad from happening, or to turn away one's gaze.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient avertere "to turn away", to turn away, from ab- (away) and vertere (to turn).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s avert "to turn away, or to prevent something bad", settled as the English word for turning away or preventing something.