challenge

The story

1. Latin · derived fromcalumnia“a false accusation, calumny”
2. Old Northern French · derived fromcalenge
3. Old French · derived fromchalenge
4. Middle English · inherited fromkalange“an accusation, claim”
5. Middle English · inherited fromchalenge
6. English todaychallenge

From Middle English chalenge, variant with palatalization of Middle English kalange (“an accusation, claim”), from Old French chalenge, chalonge, palatalized Central French variants of Old Northern French calenge, calonge (see Continental Norman calengier), from Latin calumnia (“a false accusation, calumny”). Cognate with Old English hōl (“calumny”). Doublet of calumny.

Words from the same roots