Langimage
English

nonviolent

|non/vi/o/lent|

B2

/nɒnˈvaɪələnt/

peaceful action

Etymology
Etymology Information

'nonviolent' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and the word 'violent' from Latin 'violentus' meaning 'vehement or forceful'.

Historical Evolution

'violentus' transformed into the Old French word 'violent', and eventually became the modern English word 'violent', with 'non-' added to form 'nonviolent'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, 'violentus' meant 'vehement or forceful', but over time, 'nonviolent' evolved to mean 'not using violence'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Adjective 1

not using or involving violence.

The protest was nonviolent and peaceful.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:39