Avert
/əˈvɝːt/noun
To turn away or prevent something from happening.
Did you know?Avert comes from Latin advertere, the same root behind advertise and adventure, all built on the idea of “turning” the mind or body toward something.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wer-
“to turn, bend”
Latin
Latin
vertere
“to turn”
Latin
Latin
advertere
“to turn toward, direct attention to”
Old French
Old French
avertir
“to warn, notify”
Middle English
English
averten
“to turn away, avert”
Modern English
English
avert
“to turn away or prevent”