gibbet etymology

Etymology:

  • Middle English: gibet, from Old French: gibelet, from Late Latin: gibellum, variant of Latin: cippus "stake, post," probably of Celtic origin.

Meaning:

  • A structure consisting of an upright post with a crosspiece from which criminals were hanged.
  • A bracket or projecting beam, especially one used to support a lamp or other object.

Origin:

The term "gibbet" ultimately derives from the Celtic languages, where it referred to a stake or post. It was borrowed into Latin as "cippus," which specifically meant a boundary marker or milestone.

In the late Middle Ages, "cippus" was adopted into Old French as "gibelet" and then into Middle English as "gibet." The meaning of "gibet" gradually shifted from its original sense of a stake or post to the more specific sense of a structure used for hanging criminals.

Today, the term "gibbet" is primarily used in historical contexts or in reference to structures that resemble the traditional gibbet, such as decorative brackets or lamp supports.

gibbet relate terms

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  • gibbet

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