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remordeo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word remordeo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Lucretius
Ultimate origin
Latin (mordeō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛˈmɔr.de.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈmɔr.de.o][1]

Forms

remordeō (present infinitive remordēre, perfect active remordī, supine remorsum); second conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- “back, again” and mordeō “to bite”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Lucretius, of something that gnaws at the mind.[2] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

Literally it was to bite back, bite in return, as in Horace, but it is mostly poetic and figurative: to vex persistently, to gnaw, nag, torment, as in Lucretius and Virgil.[2][5]

Medieval Latin remorsum “a biting back”, its neuter participle used as a noun, gave Old French remors and English remorse in the late 14th century.[3] It survives in Italian rimordere and French remordre.[1]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.[2][4]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of biting back.[2][4]
  • late 14th century – English remorse is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To bite back, bite in return.[2]
  2. To vex, gnaw at, torment.[2][5]

Word family

  • remorsus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Remordeo.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/remordeo. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·