Advertisement

Origin and history of repulsive

repulsive(adj.)

early 15c. (Chauliac), repulsif, "able to repel, having the power to dissipate collected humors," from Old French repulsif (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin repulsivus, from repuls-, past-participle stem of repellere "to drive back" (see repel).

From 1590s as "tending to repel by coldness of manner, etc." The sense of "causing disgust, grossly or coarsely offensive to taste or feeling" is recorded by 1816. Related: Repulsively; repulsiveness.

also from early 15c.

Entries linking to repulsive

repel(v.)

early 15c., "to drive away, remove, quench" (a sense now obsolete), from Old French repeller and directly from Latin repellere "to drive back," from re- "back" (see re-) + pellere "to drive, strike" (from PIE root *pel- (5) "to thrust, strike, drive").

The sense of "encounter (an invader, etc.) with effectual resistance, resist, oppose" is from mid-15c. The meaning "to affect (a person) with distaste or aversion" is by 1817. Related: Repelled; repelling.

    Advertisement

    Share repulsive

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Dictionary entries near repulsive
    Advertisement