abandonment

The story

1. Medieval Latin · derived frombandum
2. French · borrowed fromabandonnement
3. English todayabandonment

Borrowed from French abandonnement, from abandonner (“to abandon, relinquish”). abandonner was originally equivalent to mettre à bandon (“to leave to the jurisdiction, i.e. of another”), bandon being from Medieval Latin bandum, bannum (“order, decree, ban”). Equivalent to abandon + -ment. (See also English banns.)

First known use, by meaning

• Late 16ᵗʰ century. The act of abandoning, or the state of being abandoned; total desertion; relinquishment.
• Early 19ᵗʰ century. The relinquishment of a right, claim, or privilege; relinquishment of right to secure a patent by an inventor; relinquishment of copyright by an author.
• Early 19ᵗʰ century. The relinquishment by the insured to the underwriters of what may remain of the property insured after a loss or damage by a peril insured against.
• Mid 19ᵗʰ century. The self-surrender to an outside influence.
• Mid 19ᵗʰ century. Abandon; careless freedom or ease; surrender to one's emotions.