1
Stage 1 of 3
banca rotta
Italian · medieval
"broken bench"
literally "broken bench", said to describe a failed moneylender's stall being smashed
2
Stage 2 of 3
banqueroute
French · 1500s
"financial failure"
adopted for financial failure
3
Stage 3 of 3
bankrupt
English · 1500s-1600s
"unable to pay one's debts"
reshaped by association with "bank" and Latin "ruptus" (broken)
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