Expugn
/ɛkˈspʌn/noun
To capture or overcome by force, especially a fortified place.
Did you know?It comes from Latin *expugnare*, a military verb built from *ex-* (“out”) + *pugnare* (“to fight”), the same ancient root behind *pugnacious* and *impugn*.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peuk-
“to prick, stab, or fight”
Latin
Latin
pugnare
“to fight”
Latin
Latin
expugnare
“to take by assault; overcome by force”
Middle English
English
expugnen
“to conquer or capture by force”
Modern English
English
expugn
“to overcome or capture by force”
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