1530s, in sense “to lop off”, from Medieval Latin dēfalcātus, perfect passive participle of dēfalcō, from Latin dē ("off") + falx, from which also English falcate.
Modern English dictionary
Explore and search massive catalog of over 900,000 word meanings.
Word of the Day
Get a curated memorable word every day.
Challenge yourself
Level up your vocabulary by setting personal goals.