Where Does The Word Blackmail Come From - The meaning fierce, terrible, wicked is from late 14c. “blak” meaning “black” and “mail” which referred to a type of rent or tribute paid in medieval times. Its origins can be traced to the scottish highlands in the 16th century. The figurative senses often come from the notion of without light, moral or spiritual. Latin niger had many of the same figurative senses (gloomy; Web the word does indeed come from mail, but it is not quite the same word that serves as the basis for email. Web the word “blackmail” has a fascinating history that dates back centuries. Web the mail of blackmail comes from a scottish word meaning 'rent'. Web the word blackmail is variously derived from the word for mailing (in modern terms, protection racket) paid by english and scottish border dwellers to border reivers in return for immunity from raids and other harassment. The word is derived from the combination of two middle english terms:
In the 16th century, when blackmail was first used, the mail in question was used chiefly in scotland and had the meaning of “payment” or “rent” (this word is thought to have come to old english from the old norse word māl. The meaning fierce, terrible, wicked is from late 14c. The word is derived from the combination of two middle english terms: Web the word blackmail is variously derived from the word for mailing (in modern terms, protection racket) paid by english and scottish border dwellers to border reivers in return for immunity from raids and other harassment. Latin niger had many of the same figurative senses (gloomy; Web the mail of blackmail comes from a scottish word meaning 'rent'. Web the word “blackmail” has a fascinating history that dates back centuries. Web of coffee with nothing added, attested by 1796. The mail part of blackmail derives from middle english male, rent, tribute. Web the word does indeed come from mail, but it is not quite the same word that serves as the basis for email. “blak” meaning “black” and “mail” which referred to a type of rent or tribute paid in medieval times. The figurative senses often come from the notion of without light, moral or spiritual. Its origins can be traced to the scottish highlands in the 16th century.