menace

menace · noun¹

1. Latin · derived frommināx“threatening”
2. Late Latin · derived fromminācia“threat, menace”
3. Old French · derived frommanace
4. Middle English · inherited frommanace
5. English todaymenace

From Middle English manace, from Old French manace, menace, &c., from Late Latin minācia (“threat, menace”), from Latin mināx (“threatening”) + -ia (suffix forming abstract nouns).

menace · verb²

1. Latin · derived fromminācia
2. Vulgar Latin · derived from*mināciāre
3. Anglo-Norman · derived frommanasser
4. Old French · derived frommenacer
5. Middle English · inherited frommanacen
6. English todaymenace

First attested in 1303: from Middle English manacen, from Old French menacer, manecier, manechier and Anglo-Norman manasser, from the assumed Vulgar Latin *mināciāre, from Latin minācia, whence the noun.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• a. 1300 A perceived threat or danger.