'renounce' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'renoncier', which ultimately derives from Latin 'renuntiare' where 're-' meant 'back/again' and 'nuntiare' meant 'to announce/report'.

'renounce' changed from Old French 'renoncier' into Middle English 'renouncen' and eventually became the modern English word 'renounce'.

Initially it meant 'to report back or announce (an answer)'; over time it evolved to the modern sense of 'to give up or reject (formally)'.