insult

The story

1. Late Latin · derived frominsultus“insult, reviling, scoffing”
2. Middle French · derived frominsult
3. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*sel-“to spring”
4. Latin · derived fromīnsultō“to spring, leap or jump at or upon; to abuse, insult, revile, taunt”
5. Middle French · derived frominsulter
6. English todayinsult

The verb is derived from Middle French insulter (modern French insulter (“to insult”)) or its etymon Latin īnsultō (“to spring, leap or jump at or upon; to abuse, insult, revile, taunt”), the frequentative form of īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + saliō (“to bound, jump, leap; to spring forth; to flow down”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sel- (“to spring”)). The noun is derived from Middle French insult (modern French insulte (“insult”)) or its etymon Late Latin insultus (“insult, reviling, scoffing”), from īnsiliō (“to bound; to leap in or upon”); see above.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 17th c. To be insensitive, insolent, or rude to (somebody); to affront or demean (someone).
• 16th–19th c. To behave in an obnoxious and superior manner (against or over someone).