Etymology

detest

de·test
D2E1T1E1S1T1

Today it means: To dislike (someone or something) intensely; to loathe. Full definition →

Middle French detester ← Latin dētestor
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromdētestor“to imprecate evil while calling the gods to witness", "denounce", "hate intensely”
  2. Middle French · derived fromdetester
  3. English todaydetest

PIE word *tréyes From Middle French detester (French détester), from Latin dētestor (“to imprecate evil while calling the gods to witness", "denounce", "hate intensely”), from dē- + testor (“to testify, bear witness”), from testis (“a witness”); see test, testify. Doublet of detestate.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.