Etymology

absterse

ab·sterse
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Today it means: To absterge; to cleanse; to purge away. Full definition →

First used First attested around 1350 to 1470.Middle English absterse ← Latin abstersus
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromabstersus
  2. Middle English · inherited fromabsterse
  3. English todayabsterse

From Middle English absterse, from Latin abstersus, perfect passive participle of abstergeō (“wipe off, wipe away”); formed from abs- + tergeō (“wipe”).

Words from the same roots

Latinabstersus all →

abstersionabstersive

First known use, by meaning

  • First attested around 1350 to 1470. To absterge; to cleanse; to purge away.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.