abstemious

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*temH-“dark (referring to the colour of wine)”
2. Latin · derived fromabstēmius“abstaining from wine”
3. English todayabstemious

From Latin abstēmius (“abstaining from wine”); from ab, abs (“from”) + tēmus, a root of tēmētum (“intoxicating drink, especially strong mead or wine”) (possibly from Proto-Indo-European *temH- (“dark (referring to the colour of wine)”)) + -ous.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• From early 17th c. Refraining from freely consuming food or strong drink; sparing in diet; abstinent, temperate.