-ment (English)
Where does "-ment" come from?
The English suffix '-ment' traces its lineage through Middle English '-ment' and Old French '-ment', originating ultimately from the Latin noun-forming suffix '-mentum'[1]. Across these transitions, the element retained its core function of attaching to verbs to denote either the action itself or the resulting state of that action[1].
Full etymology tree
- -ment (English), 'Attached to a verb to form a noun meaning the action denoted by the verb or its result.'
- inherited -ment (Middle English), 'Forms nouns from verbs, usually indicating a resulting action or state.'
- inherited -ment (Old French), 'Forms nouns from verbs, usually indicating a resulting action or state.'
- inherited -mentum (Latin), 'instrument, medium, or result of'
- inherited -ment (Old French), 'Forms nouns from verbs, usually indicating a resulting action or state.'
- inherited -ment (Middle English), 'Forms nouns from verbs, usually indicating a resulting action or state.'
Ancestors
- -ment (Middle English)
- -ment (Old French)
- -mentum (Latin)
Sources
Updated September 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris