rape

rape · noun, verb¹

1. Latin · derived fromrapiō
2. Middle English · inherited fromrapen
3. English todayrape

From Middle English rapen, rappen (“to abduct; ravish; seduce; rape; seize; snatch; carry off; transport”), probably from Latin rapiō (verb), possibly through or influenced by Anglo-Norman rap, rape (noun) (compare also ravish). But compare Swedish rappa (“to snatch, seize, carry off”), Low German rapen (“to snatch, seize”), Dutch rapen (“to pick up, gather, collect”); the relationship with Germanic forms is not clear. Compare also rap (“seize, snatch”). Further, some senses may be from Etymology 3, an Old Norse word. Displaced native Old English seorþan whence English sard.

rape · noun²

1. Old French · derived fromraper“take by force”
2. Old Norse · derived fromhreppr“tract of land”
3. Old English · derived fromrāp“rope”
4. English todayrape

Generally considered to derive from Old English rāp (“rope”), in reference to the ropes used to delineate the courts that ruled each rape. Compare Dutch reep and the parish of Rope, Cheshire. In the 18th century, Edward Lye proposed derivation from Old Norse hreppr (“tract of land”), but this was rejected by the New English Dictionary and is considered "phonologically impossible" by the English Place-Name Society. Others, considering it improbable that the Normans would have adopted a local word, suggest derivation from Old French raper (“take by force”). See Wikipedia for more.

rape · verb, noun, adverb³

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*hrapaną“to fall down”
2. Old Norse · derived fromhrapa“to fall, rush headlong, hurry, hasten”
3. Middle English · derived fromrapen
4. English todayrape

From Middle English rapen, from Old Norse hrapa (“to fall, rush headlong, hurry, hasten”), from Proto-Germanic *hrapaną (“to fall down”). Cognate with Norwegian rapa (“to slip, fall”), Danish rappe (“to make haste”), German rappeln (“to hasten, hurry”).

rape · noun⁴

1. Latin · derived fromrāpa
2. Middle English · inherited fromrape
3. English todayrape

From Middle English rape, from Latin rāpa, from rāpum (“turnip”).

rape · noun⁵

1. Frankish · derived from*raspōn“to scratch”
2. Old French · derived fromraper
3. Middle English · derived fromrape
4. English todayrape

From Middle English rape, from rape (“grape stalk, rasper”), from Old French raper, rasper (“to rasp, scratch”), from Old Frankish *raspōn (“to scratch”), related to Old High German raspōn (“to scrape”), Old English ġehrespan (“to strip, spoil”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 15th c. The act of forcing sex upon another person without their consent or against their will; originally coitus forced by a man on a woman, but now generally any sex act forced by any person upon another person, regardless of gender; by extension, any non-consensual sex act forced on or perpetrated by any being.
• from early 14th c. The taking of something by force; seizure, plunder.
• from 15th c. The abduction of a woman, especially for sexual purposes.
• from 16th c. To force sexual intercourse or other sexual activity upon (someone) without their consent.
• from late 14th c. To seize by force. (Now often with sexual overtones.)
• from 15th c. To carry (someone, especially a woman) off against their will, especially for sex; to abduct.
• from 17th c. To plunder, to destroy or despoil.
• from 20th c. To overpower, destroy (someone); to trounce.