contraband

Where does the word "contraband" come from? It comes from Medieval Latin contra bannum, passing through Italian before entering English (1500s-1600s).

Contraband’s story begins in Medieval Latin: contra bannum meant “against the law.” Literally "against the proclamation", i.e. against the law. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Italian as contrabbando. Applied to goods illegally traded against royal decree. It reached English by 1500s-1600s as contraband. In the American Civil War, escaped slaves behind Union lines were called 'contrabands'. Today, contraband means goods that are illegal to import, export, possess, or trade.

1. Stage 1 · Medieval Latin · medieval contra bannum "against the law", literally "against the proclamation", i.e. against the law.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval contrabbando "illegal trade goods", applied to goods illegally traded against royal decree.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s-1600s contraband "goods imported or exported illegally", in the American Civil War, escaped slaves behind Union lines were called 'contrabands'.