indulge
/ɪnˈdʌldʒ/
verb
Origin
Latin
indulgere — to be kind, to grant, to yield, to be lenient
Overview
Meaning Now
- To allow oneself the pleasure of something.
- To yield to the desires or whims of someone else.
- In historical theology, to grant an indulgence (remission of temporal punishment for sin).
Literal older meaning
to be kind or lenient toward
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
indulge
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The word entered English in the 17th century, influenced by the theological concept of 'indulgence' (remitting punishment for sin). By the 18th century, it evolved to refer more broadly to the act of satisfying desires or cravings.
Evolution
- Latin
indulgere
“to be lenient, grant a favor”
- Middle French
indulger
“to grant, to show favor”
- 17th-century English
indulge
“to grant a favor; to treat with excessive leniency”
Connections
Word parts
in-
prefix
in, towards
-dulgere
root
to be lenient
Related across languages
French
indulger
to grant (in a religious or formal sense)
Spanish
indultar
to pardon or grant amnesty
Explore next
Related to indulge
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.