'outlaw' originates from Old Norse, specifically the word 'útlagi,' where 'út' meant 'out' and 'lag' meant 'law.'

'útlagi' transformed into the Old English word 'ūtlaga,' and eventually became the modern English word 'outlaw.'

Initially, it meant 'a person declared outside the protection of the law,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a person who has broken the law.'