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Today it means

expel

to force someone or something out, or to officially dismiss someone from an institution

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Where does the word "expel" come from? It comes from Latin expellere, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

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Where does the word "expel" come from? It comes from Latin expellere, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Expel’s story begins in Latin: expellere meant “to drive out.” To drive out, from ex- (out) and pellere (to drive). It reached English by 1300s as expel. Settled as the English word for forcing someone or something out. Today, expel means to force someone or something out, or to officially dismiss someone from an institution.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient expellere "to drive out", to drive out, from ex- (out) and pellere (to drive).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s expel "to force someone or something out", settled as the English word for forcing someone or something out.

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