Advertisement

Origin and history of profligacy

profligacy(n.)

"shameless dissipation; the character or condition of being profligate," 1670s, from profligate + abstract noun suffix -cy.

also from 1670s

Entries linking to profligacy

profligate(adj.)

1520s, "overthrown, routed, defeated, conquered" (now obsolete in this sense), from Latin profligatus "destroyed, ruined, corrupt, abandoned, dissolute," past participle of profligare "to cast down, defeat, ruin," from pro "down, forth" (see pro-) + fligere "to strike" (see afflict).

The main modern meaning "recklessly extravagant" is attested by 1779, via the notion of "ruined in morals, abandoned to vice" (1640s, implied in a use of profligation, an obsolete word attested from mid-15c. but first in a sense of "elimination, banishment"). Related: Profligately. As a noun, "one who has lost all regard for good principles," from 1709.

-cy

abstract noun suffix of quality or rank, ultimately representing in English Latin -cia, -tia (see -ia) but a living word-forming element in modern English. The native correspondents are -ship, -hood.

    Advertisement

    More to explore

    dissipation
    early 15c., dissipacioun, "disintegration, dissolution," from Latin dissipationem (nominative dissipatio) "a scattering," noun of action from past-participle stem of dissipare "to spread abroad, scatter, disperse; squander, disintegrate" (see dissipate). Sense of "act of wasting
    dissolution
    mid-14c., "frivolity, moral laxness, dissolute living;" late 14c., dissolucioun, "separation into parts, dispersal;" from Old French dissolution (12c.) and directly from Latin dissolutionem (nominative dissolutio) "a dissolving, destroying, interruption, dissolution," noun of act
    intemperance
    early 15c., "lack of restraint, excess," also of weather, "inclemency, severity," from Old French intemperance (14c.) and directly from Latin intemperantia "intemperateness, immoderation, excess" (as in intemperantia vini "immoderate use of wine"), from in- "not, opposite of" (se
    crib
    Old English cribbe "manger of a cattle stable, fodder bin in cowsheds and fields," from a West Germanic word (source also of Old Saxon kribbia "manger;" Old Frisian and Middle Dutch kribbe; Old High German krippa, German Krippe "crib, manger") probably related to German Krebe "ba
    adamant
    late 14c., "hard, unbreakable," from adamant (n.). The figurative sense of "unshakeable" (in belief, etc.) is by 1670s. Related: Adamantly; adamance...."a very hard stone," mid-14c., adamant, adamaunt, from Old French adamant "diamond; magnet" or directly from Latin adamantem (no
    pretty
    Middle English pratie "cunning, crafty, clever" (c. 1300 as a surname), from Old English prættig (West Saxon), pretti (Kentish), *prettig (Mercian) "cunning, skillful, artful, wily, astute," from prætt, *prett "a trick, wile, craft," from Proto-Germanic *pratt- (source also of Ol
    frustration
    "act of frustrating, disappointment, defeat," 1550s, from Latin frustrationem (nominative frustratio) "a deception, a disappointment," noun of action from past-participle stem of frustrari "to deceive, disappoint, make vain," from frustra (adv.) "in vain, in error," which is rela
    contrive
    early 14c., controve, contreve, "to invent, devise, plan;" late 14c., "to manage by a plan or scheme," from Old French controver (Modern French controuver) "to find out, contrive, imagine," from Late Latin contropare "to compare" (via a figure of speech), from an assimilated form
    symptom
    "a departure from normal function or form as an expression or evidence of a disease," late 14c., sinthoma, from Medieval Latin sinthoma "symptom of a disease," altered from Late Latin symptoma, from Greek symptoma "a happening, accident, disease," from stem of sympiptein "to befa
    beer
    alcoholic drink made from grain (generally barley), infused with hops and boiled and fermented, Middle English ber, from Old English beor "strong drink, beer, mead," cognate with Old Frisian biar, Middle Dutch and Dutch bier, Old High German bior, German Bier; a West Germanic wor

    Share profligacy

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Dictionary entries near profligacy
    Advertisement