abdicate

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ep
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂epó
3. Proto-Italic*ap
4. Latinab
5. Latinab-
6. Proto-Indo-European*deyḱ-
7. Proto-Indo-European*déyḱs
8. Latindicō
9. Latinabdicō
10. Latinabdicātus
11. English todayabdicate

First attested in 1532; borrowed from Latin abdicātus (“renounced”), perfect passive participle of abdicō (“to renounce, reject, disclaim”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), formed from ab (“away”) + dicō (“proclaim, dedicate, declare”), akin to dīcō (“to say”). Compare Middle English abdicat (“forsaken, renounced”). Compare typologically abandon, Russian отказа́ться (otkazátʹsja), отре́чься (otréčʹsja).

First known use, by meaning

• mid 16th – early 19th c. To disclaim and expel from the family, as a father his child; to disown; to disinherit.
• mid 16th – late 17th c. To formally separate oneself from or to divest oneself of.
• early 17th – late 18th c. To depose.
• mid 16th – late 17th c. To reject; to cast off; to discard.
• from mid 17th c. To surrender, renounce or relinquish, as sovereign power; to withdraw definitely from filling or exercising, as a high office, station, dignity; to fail to fulfill responsibility for.
• First attested in the early 18th c. To relinquish or renounce a throne, or other high office or dignity; to renounce sovereignty.