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Today it means

repel

to drive something back, or to cause disgust and keep something at a distance

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

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

Repel’s story begins in Latin: repellere meant “to drive back.” To drive back, from re- (back) and pellere (to drive). It reached English by 1400s as repel. Settled as the English word for driving something back or away. Today, repel means to drive something back, or to cause disgust and keep something at a distance.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient repellere "to drive back", to drive back, from re- (back) and pellere (to drive).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s repel "to drive something back or keep it at a distance", settled as the English word for driving something back or away.

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