Sinning
/ˈsɪn.ɪŋ/noun
The act of committing a moral or religious offense.
Did you know?English sin comes from Old English synn, and the word’s deeper Germanic root is tied to the idea of a “breaking” or “fault,” not a mystical spell, which is why it became so powerful in religious language.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*s(e)n-
“A base associated with being, truth, or existence in some reconstructions; the exact prehistory is uncertain.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sunjō
“Truth, guilt, or offense against what is right.”
Old English
English
synn
“Sin; moral wrongdoing; offense against divine law.”
Middle English
English
sinne
“Sin; transgression; wrongdoing.”
Modern English
English
sin
“A moral or religious offense; a wrongdoing considered against divine law.”