Etymo

doom

An unavoidable destructive fate.

Played on · Day 17 · word 4 of 5

Before it meant that.

How doom reached English

oldest first
  1. Old English

    dōm

    ‘a law, statute, decree; administration of justice, judgment’

  2. Middle English

    doome

  3. English

    doom

    ‘fate, ruin, destruction’

The story of doom

Doom did not always announce disaster. Old English dōm could be a judgement or decree. The later association with final fate and destruction gave the word its modern threatening weight.

Sources

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