evict

evict [ih-vikt] Word Origin verb (used with object)

1. to expel (a person, especially a tenant) from land, a building, etc., by legal process, as for nonpayment of rent.
2. to recover (property, titles, etc.) by virtue of superior legal title.

Origin of evict 1400–50; late Middle English evicten Late Latin ēvictus having recovered one’s property by law, Latin: past participle of ēvincere to overcome, conquer, evince), equivalent to ē- e-1 + vic- (past participle stem of vincere; see victor) + -tus past participle suffixRelated formse·vic·tion, noune·vic·tor, nounnon·e·vic·tion, nounre·e·vict, verb (used with object)un·e·vict·ed, adjective British Dictionary definitions for evictor evict verb (tr)

1. to expel (a tenant) from property by process of law; turn out
2. to recover (property or the title to property) by judicial process or by virtue of a superior title

Derived Formseviction, nounevictor, nounevictee, nounWord Origin for evict C15: from Late Latin ēvincere, from Latin: to vanquish utterly, from vincere to conquer Word Origin and History for evictor evict v.

mid-15c., “recover (property) by judicial means,” from Latin evictus, past participle of evincere “recover property, overcome and expel, conquer,” from ex- “out” (see ex-) + vincere “conquer” (see victor). Sense of “expel by legal process” first recorded in English 1530s. Related: Evicted; evicting.