Etymology Map
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Deny

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to state that something is not true

Where does the word "deny" come from? It comes from Latin denegare, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
denegare
Latin · ancient
"to refuse"
'de-' plus 'negare', to say no, the root of 'negative'
2
Stage 2 of 3
denier
Old French · medieval
"to refuse"
a legal word for rejecting a claim
3
Stage 3 of 3
deny
English · 1300s
"to refuse; to contradict"
'self-denial' dates from the 1640s
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Read the full story

Deny’s story begins in Latin: denegare meant “to refuse.” 'de-' plus 'negare', to say no, the root of 'negative'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as denier. A legal word for rejecting a claim. It reached English by 1300s as deny. 'self-denial' dates from the 1640s. Today, deny means to state that something is not true.