reject

Where does the word "reject" come from? It comes from Latin reicere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Reject’s story begins in Latin: reicere meant “to throw back.” To throw back, from re- (back) and iacere (to throw). It reached English by 1400s as reject. Settled as the English word for refusing to accept something. Today, reject means to refuse to accept, believe, or consider something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient reicere "to throw back", to throw back, from re- (back) and iacere (to throw).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s reject "to refuse to accept, use, or believe something", settled as the English word for refusing to accept something.