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rescindo

Etymology and origin of the Latin word rescindo

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Terence
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*skeyd-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin scindo
Latin conscindo
Latin rescindo
Latin proscindo

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛsˈkɪn.doː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reʃˈʃin.do][1]

Forms

rescindō (present infinitive rescindere, perfect active rescidī, supine rescissum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin re- + scindō (“to cut, split”).[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨scindō⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *ski-n-d- (“to split, tear off”), cognate with Ancient Greek σχίζω (skhízō, “to split”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Terence, of revoking.[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to cut away, hew down, as of a rampart with sickles, and of structures in Cicero; to break or split open, as in Virgil; and in Terence to cancel, revoke, annul what was decreed, rescind.[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means to annul, repeal.[6] English rescind (1630s) is from it, and it survives as French rescinder and Spanish rescindir.[7][1]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of revoking.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of cutting away.[2][4]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of breaking open.[2][4]
  • 1630s – English rescind is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To cut away, hew down.[2][8]
  2. To break open.[2]
  3. To annul, revoke, rescind.[2][6]

Word family

  • rescissiō
  • rescissōrius
  • rescissus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  8. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Rescindo.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/rescindo. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·