torture

Where does the word "torture" come from? It comes from Latin torquere, passing through Latin and French before entering English (1500s).

Torture’s story begins in Latin: torquere meant “to twist.” The root of 'torment', 'torque' and 'distort'. Within Latin, it grew into tortura by ancient. A twisting, torment, from torquere. From there it passed into French as torture by 1400s. Carried into French for the deliberate infliction of severe pain. It reached English by 1500s as torture. Settled as the English word for the deliberate infliction of severe pain. Today, torture means the deliberate infliction of severe pain as punishment or coercion.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient torquere "to twist", the root of 'torment', 'torque' and 'distort'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient tortura "a twisting, torment", a twisting, torment, from torquere.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1400s torture "the deliberate infliction of severe pain", carried into French for the deliberate infliction of severe pain.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1500s torture "the deliberate infliction of severe pain", settled as the English word for the deliberate infliction of severe pain.