opprobrium

The story

1. Latin · borrowed fromopprobria
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*pro-“forward; toward”
3. Latin · learned borrowing fromopprobrium
4. English todayopprobrium

PIE word *h₁epi Learned borrowing from Latin opprobrium, obprobrium (“a reproach, a taunt; disgrace, shame; dishonour; scandal”, noun), from opprobrō, obprobrō (“to reproach, upbraid; to taunt”) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns). Opprobrō, obprobrō are derived from ob- (prefix meaning ‘towards’) + probrum (“disgrace, shame; abuse, insult”, noun) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pro- (“forward; toward”) + *bʰer- (“to bear, carry”), in the sense of something brought up to reproach a person). The plural form opprobria is borrowed from Latin opprobria. Cognates * French opprobre * Italian obbrobrio * Portuguese ouprobio (obsolete), opróbrio * Spanish oprobrio (obsolete), oprobio

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from mid 17th c. A cause, object, or situation of disgrace or shame.
• from late 17th c. Disgrace or bad reputation arising from exceedingly shameful behaviour; ignominy.