Extinguish
/ɪkˈstɪŋ.ɡwɪʃ/noun
To cause a flame, feeling, or activity to stop burning or existing.
Did you know?Its ancestor comes from Latin *exstinguere*, which could mean not just putting out a flame, but also wiping out life, desire, or reputation—words as weapons, literally.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*steyg-
“to prick, stick, or pierce”
Latin
Latin
stinguere
“to quench, extinguish, or dampen”
Latin
Latin
exstinguere
“to put out, quench, or destroy completely”
Old French
Old French
estenchier
“to quench or extinguish”
Middle English
English
extinguen
“to put out a fire or end something”
Modern English
English
extinguish
“to cause to stop burning or to bring to an end”
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