oppress

The story

1. Latin · derived fromopprimere
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromoppressare“to press against, oppress”
3. Old French · derived fromoppresser
4. Middle English · inherited fromoppressen
5. English todayoppress

From Middle English oppressen, from Old French oppresser, from Medieval Latin oppressare (“to press against, oppress”), frequentative of Latin opprimere, past participle oppressus (“to press against, press together, oppress”), from ob (“against”) + premere, past participle pressus (“to press”); see press.