Abdicate
/ˈæb.dɪ.keɪt/noun
To renounce one's throne or position of power.
Did you know?The term 'abdicate' traces back to Latin, where it suggested a ceremonial act of giving up one's authority, almost like a ritualistic surrender.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ab-
“away from”
Latin
Latin
abdicāre
“to renounce, to give up (literally 'to give away')”
Old French
Old French
abdiquer
“to renounce, to give up (in a formal context)”
15th Century
English
abdicate
“to formally relinquish a throne or power as an act of surrender”
Modern English
English
abdicate
“to give up a high office or responsibility”
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