impair

The story

1. Late Latin · derived frompeiōrāre“worsen”
2. Early Medieval Latin · derived fromimpeiōrāre
3. Old French · derived fromempeirier
4. Middle English · inherited fromimpairen
5. English todayimpair

From Middle English impairen, empeiren, from Old French empeirier, from Early Medieval Latin impeiōrāre, from in- + Late Latin peiōrāre (“worsen”), from peiōrem (“worse”), comparative of malus (“bad”).

Words from the same roots