philippic

Where does the word "philippic" come from? It comes from Greek philippikos, passing through Latin and Middle French before entering English (1590s).

Philippic’s story begins in Greek: philippikos meant “relating to King Philip of Macedon.” Relating to Philip of Macedon, target of the orator Demosthenes's fierce speeches. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as Philippicae. The Romans' name for the orations; Cicero later applied it to his own speeches against Mark Antony. From there it passed into Middle French as philippique by 1560s. The Middle French form that passed the word into English. It reached English by 1590s as philippic. Broadened from the specific speeches to any bitter verbal attack. Today, philippic means a bitter, forceful verbal or written denunciation.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient philippikos "relating to King Philip of Macedon", relating to Philip of Macedon, target of the orator Demosthenes's fierce speeches.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient Philippicae "speeches against Philip / a bitter denunciation", the Romans' name for the orations; Cicero later applied it to his own speeches against Mark Antony.
3. Stage 3 · Middle French · 1560s philippique "a bitter denunciation", the Middle French form that passed the word into English.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1590s philippic "a bitter, forceful verbal attack", broadened from the specific speeches to any bitter verbal attack.