Etymograph

English

abstinent

Abstinent comes from Latin abstinēns ‘abstaining’, from teneō ‘hold’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘to stretch, extend’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-1‘to stretch, extend’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tn̥eh₁yéti1reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tenēō1‘to hold’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEteneō1‘hold’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEabstineō2‘abstain’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEabstinēns3‘abstaining’
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400abstinent3
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500abstinent3
  9. Englishearliest quotation c. 1612–1615abstinent3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin abstineo
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Latin abstinens
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English abstinent
  4. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1612–1615, ?, Loves Cure or, The Martial Maid: “Be abstinent; shew not the corruption of thy generation:…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-Wiktionary, Latin abstineo‘to stretch, extend’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tn̥eh₁yétiWiktionary, Latin abstineoreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tenēōWiktionary, Latin abstineo‘to hold’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEteneōWiktionary, Latin abstineo‘hold’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEabstineōWiktionary, Latin abstinens‘abstain’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEabstinēnsWiktionary, English abstinent‘abstaining’
  7. Old Frenchc. 842–1400abstinentWiktionary, English abstinent
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500abstinentWiktionary, English abstinent
  9. Englishearliest quotation c. 1612–1615abstinentWiktionary, English abstinent. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1612–1615, ?, Loves Cure or, The Martial Maid: “Be abstinent; shew not the corruption of thy generation:…”

first attested First attested in the late 14th century as Middle English abstinent, abstynent, from Old French abstinent, from Latin abstinēns, present participle of abstineō (as stated in Wiktionary’s etymology)

The story

First attested in the late 14th century as Middle English abstinent, abstynent, from Old French abstinent, from Latin abstinēns, present participle of abstineō.

Full etymology on Wiktionary

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘to stretch, extend’

tight, ton, tone, obtain, entertainment, maintenance, tune, tender, tonic, tendon, tenacious, tetanus, pristine, countenance, pertinent, tantra, hypotenuse, tendinitis, maintainer, retentive, 64 more

through Proto-Italic *tenēō ‘to hold’

container, incontinent, 20 more

through Latin teneō ‘hold’

content, continue, tennis, contain, retain, continuous, sustain, detention, tenant, retention, continent, tenor, rein, detain, continuum, tenacity, pertain, sustenance, tenet, tenement, retinue, incontinence, tenable, continence, 22 more

through Latin abstineō ‘abstain’

abstain, abstention, 2 more

Another origin of abstinent

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500abstinent
  2. Englishtodayabstinent

Today it means

adj Refraining from indulgence, especially from the indulgence of appetite.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “abstinent”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Latin abstineo, Latin abstinens. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ten- / abstinent

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