…behind the word

Origin of the word: ABASE

Abase /verb/ (English): 1470-1480

> In another languages:

With the same roots:

  • Rebajar/Bajar, abajar (Español)
  • Rebaixar/Abaixar (Português)
  • Abaisser (Français)
  • Abbassar (Italiano)

With another roots:

  • Erniedrigen/Senken (Deutsch): erniedrigen (to humiliate, to degrade) from niedrig (low, plebeian); senken (to lower) related to sinken (to sink, to go down).

> From:

  • Old French abaissier: to diminish, to make lower in value or status.
  • Lat. ad bassiare: to bring lower. This term from Lat. bassus: low in stature.

> Meaning:

  • Present: To make yourself seem to be less important or not to deserve respect (Cambridge Dictionary). Behave in a way so as to belittle or degrade (Oxford Dictionary).
  • Original: To put in a lower position.

This entry was posted on October 25, 2010 by . It was filed under Deutsch, English, Español, Etymology, Français, Italiano, Langue d'oïl, Latīnus, Português and was tagged with , , , , , , , , .

One response

  1. alecanaya

    The second options in the different languages translations for the word “abase”: “bajar and abajar (less used)” (Spanish), “abaixar” (Portuguese), and “senken” (German), as well as the secondary meaning of: “abaisser” (French) and “abbassar” (Italian) correspond with an archaic use of the English verb meaning:

    To lower; put or bring down (e.g. He abased his head) (Random House Dictionary).

    October 25, 2010 at 7:55 am

    Reply

Leave a comment