transgress

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

Transgress’s story begins in Latin: transgredi meant “to step across, to go beyond.” To step across, to go beyond, from trans- (across) and gradi (to step). It reached English by 1400s as transgress. Settled as the English word for violating a law or moral boundary. Today, transgress means to go beyond the limits set by a law, command, or moral boundary.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient transgredi "to step across, to go beyond", to step across, to go beyond, from trans- (across) and gradi (to step).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s transgress "to violate a law, command, or moral boundary", settled as the English word for violating a law or moral boundary.