jeopardy

The story

1. Latin · derived fromiocus“jest, play, game”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromiocus partītus“an even chance, an alternative”
3. Middle French · derived fromjeu parti“a divided game, i.e. an even game, an even chance”
4. Anglo-Norman · derived fromgiu parti
5. Middle English · inherited fromjupartie
6. English todayjeopardy

From Middle English jupartie, jeupartie (“even chance”), from Anglo-Norman giu parti and Middle French jeu parti (“a divided game, i.e. an even game, an even chance”), from Medieval Latin iocus partītus (“an even chance, an alternative”), from Latin iocus (“jest, play, game”) + partītus, perfect passive participle of partiō (“divide”); see joke and party.

Words from the same roots