quarantine

quarantine · noun, verb, proper noun¹

1. French · derived fromquarantaine
2. Latin · derived fromquadrāgintā“four tens, 40”
3. Late Latin · derived from*quaranta
4. Italian · derived fromquarantina
5. French · derived fromquarenteine
6. Norman · derived fromquarenteine
7. Middle English · inherited fromquarentine
8. Medieval Latin · derived fromquarentena
9. English todayquarantine

From Medieval Latin quarentena and quarentīna (“40-day period, Lent”) via Middle English quarentine, Norman quarenteine, French quarenteine, and Italian quarantina, via proposed Late Latin *quaranta + -ēna (forming distributive adjectives), from Latin quadrāgintā (“four tens, 40”). In reference to French politics, calque of French quarantaine after edicts of Louis IX. In reference to a severance of political relations, popularized by the Roosevelt administration's 1937 approach to the Axis powers and the later Kennedy administration's 1962 approach to Cuba during the missile crisis.

Quarantine · proper noun²

1. Latin · derived fromQuarantina
2. English todayQuarantine

From Latin Quarantina.

Words from the same roots