Perversion
/pərˈvɜːr.ʒən/noun
The act of twisting something away from its original, intended, or accepted form or use.
Did you know?It comes from Latin pervertere, a forceful verb meaning “to turn completely around” or “to overthrow,” so the word began as a physical and moral image of violent reversal.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wer-
“to turn, bend”
Latin
Latin
vertere
“to turn”
Latin
Latin
pervertere
“to turn completely around, overturn, corrupt”
Old French
Old French
perversion
“a turning away, corruption”
Late Middle English
English
perversioun
“moral corruption, deviation from what is right”
Modern English
English
perversion
“the act of twisting away from an intended or accepted form”