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Origin and history of oath

oath(n.)

Middle English oth, from Old English að "judicial swearing, solemn appeal (to deity, sacred relics, etc.), in witness of truth or a promise," from Proto-Germanic *aithaz, from PIE *oi-to- "an oath" (source also of Old Irish oeth "oath"). Common to Celtic and Germanic, it is possibly a loan-word from one to the other, but the history is obscure and it may ultimately be non-Indo-European. Germanic cognates include Old Norse eiðr, Swedish ed, Old Saxon, Old Frisian eth, Middle Dutch eet, Dutch eed, German eid, Gothic aiþs "oath."

In reference to careless invocations of divinity, from late Old English.

Entries linking to oath

Huguenot(n.)

"French puritan," 1562, from French Huguenot, which according to French sources originally was a political, not a religious, term. The name was applied in 1520s to Genevan partisans opposed to the Duke of Savoy (who joined Geneva to the Swiss Confederation), and on the most likely guess probably it is an alteration of Swiss German Eidgenoss "confederate," from Middle High German eitgenoze, from eit "oath" (from Proto-Germanic *aithaz; see oath) + genoze "comrade," cognate with Old English geneat "comrade, companion," from Proto-Germanic *ga-nautaz "he with whom one shares possessions," thus "comrade," from *nautan "thing of value, possession," from PIE root *neud- "to make use of, enjoy."

Brachet's French etymology dictionary says, "No word has had more said and written about it" and lists seven "chief suggestions" for its origin, the oldest dating to 1560; Scheler's "Dictionary of French Etymology" mentions 16 proposed derivations. The form of the French word probably altered by association with a personal name, a diminutive of Hugues. Hugues Besançon was a leader of the Genevan partisans. In France, applied generally to French Protestants because Geneva was a Calvinist center.

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    Trends of oath

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

    More to explore

    expletive
    1610s, "a word or phrase serving to fill out a sentence or metrical line," from French explétif (15c.) and directly from Late Latin expletivus "serving to fill out," from explet-  past-participle stem of Latin explere "fill out, fill up, glut," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + ple
    abjuration
    heresy or idolatry, later of renunciations of oaths generally, from Latin abiurationem (nominative abiuratio) "a denying on oath...," noun of action from past-participle stem of abiurare "deny on oath," from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + iurare "to swear...The oath of abjuration is "the negative part of the oath of allegiance" [Century Dictionary]....
    exorcism
    "a calling up or driving out of evil spirits," from Late Latin exorcismus, from Greek exorkismos "administration of an oath...," in Ecclesiastical Greek, "exorcism," from exorkizein "exorcise, bind by oath," from ex "out of" (see ex-) + horkizein..."cause to swear," from horkos "oath," which is of uncertain origin....Some linguists propose a connection with herkos "fence," "in which case it would properly denote the oath as the bounds that...
    depose
    Meaning "testify to, attest," especially "give testimony on oath" is from early 15c.; sense of "take testimony from or examine...under oath" is from 1560s....
    adjuration
    nominative adiuratio) "a swearing to," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin adiurare "to put (someone) to an oath...Originally a term in exorcism (with conjuration); the general sense of "a solemn oath, a charging under the penalty of a...
    loyalty
    Loyalty oath first attested 1852....Allegiance ... is a matter of principle, and applies especially to conduct; the oath of allegiance covers conduct only....
    conjure
    late 13c., "command on oath;" c. 1300, "summon by a sacred name, invoke by incantation or magic," from Old French conjurer...conspire," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + iurare "to swear," from ius (genitive iuris) "law, an oath...
    promise
    c. 1400, promisse, "a solemn pledge; a vow; a declaration in reference to the future made by one person to another, assuring the latter that the former will do, or not do, a specified act," from Old French promesse "promise, guarantee, assurance" (13c.) and directly from Latin pr
    profanity
    c. 1600, "profaneness, quality of being profane, profane language or conduct," from Late Latin profanitas "profaneness," from Latin profanus (see profane (adj.)). Extended sense of "foul language" is from Old Testament commandment against "profaning" the name of the Lord. Apparen
    dedication
    late 14c., dedicacioun, "action of consecrating to a deity or sacred use," from Old French dedicacion "consecration of a church or chapel" (14c., Modern French dédication) and directly from Latin dedicationem, noun of action from dedicare "consecrate, proclaim, affirm, set apart,

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