'uproot' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'uprooten,' where 'up-' meant 'upward' and 'root' meant 'the part of a plant that attaches it to the ground.'

'uprooten' transformed into the modern English word 'uproot' through Middle English.

Initially, it meant 'to pull a plant out of the ground,' but over time it evolved to include the figurative sense of 'removing someone from their home or familiar environment.'