digress
/daɪˈɡrɛs/
verb
Origin
Latin
digredi — to step away, depart
Overview
Meaning Now
- To leave the main subject in speech or writing; to stray from the point.
- To turn aside from a path or course; to deviate.
Literal older meaning
to step aside
Language path
Latin → Middle English → English
Earliest form
digress
Earliest period
late 15th century
Journey
The term enters English during the Renaissance, reflecting the academic focus on rhetoric and logical argumentation, where staying on the 'path' of an argument was highly valued.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
digredi
“to depart or diverge”
- Late Latin
digressus
“having departed”
Past participle form
- Late 15th century English
digresse
“to wander from the main subject”
Direct loan from Latin
Connections
Word parts
di-
prefix
apart, away
gress
root
to step, walk (from gradi)
Related across languages
French
digresser
to digress
Italian
digredire
to digress
Explore next
Related to digress
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.