religion

The story

1. Proto-Italic*wre-
2. Latinre-
3. Proto-Indo-European*leǵ-
4. Proto-Indo-European*léǵeti
5. Proto-Italic*legō
6. Latinlegō
7. Latinrelegō
8. Latinre-
9. Proto-Indo-European*leyǵ-
10. Latinligō
11. Latinreligō
12. Latinreligiō
13. Old Frenchreligion
14. Middle Englishreligioun
15. English todayreligion

From Middle English religioun, from Old French religion, from Latin religiō (“scrupulousness, pious misgivings, superstition, conscientiousness, sanctity, an object of veneration, cult-observance, reverence”). Most likely from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂leg- with the meanings preserved in Latin dīligere and legere (“to read repeatedly”, “to have something solely in mind”). Displaced Old English ǣfæstnes (“religion, lawfulness”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 16th–17th c. Faithfulness to a given principle; conscientiousness.