Impeach
/ɪmˈpiːtʃ/noun
To formally accuse or charge a public official with misconduct; also, to call into question the validity of something.
Did you know?Impeach ultimately traces back to Latin impedicare, meaning “to fetter” or “to shackle,” from ped- “foot” — the same ancient root behind pedal, pedestrian, and impede.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ped-
“foot”
Latin
Latin
impedicāre
“to shackle by the feet; to entangle”
Old French
Old French
empeechier
“to hinder; obstruct; accuse”
Middle English
English
empechen
“to hinder, prevent, accuse”
Modern English
English
impeach
“to accuse formally; to charge a public official with misconduct”
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