English word excuse comes from Latin causa, Latin de
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| causa | Latin (lat) | For the sake of or on account of (Medieval Latin) thing. (figuratively) justification, explanation. Case, claim, contention. Cause, reason. Motive, pretext. Situation, condition. |
| de | Latin (lat) | (Late Latin) of persons. From, away from, down from, out of; in general to indicate the person or place from which any thing is taken, etc., with verbs of taking away, depriving, demanding, requesting, inquiring, buying; as capere, sumere, emere, quaerere, discere, trahere, etc., and their compounds.. From, away from, to indicate the place from which someone or something departs or [...] |
| excusare | Latin (lat) | |
| escuser | Old French (fro) | (reflexive, s'escuser) to excuse oneself. (reflexive, s'escuser) to make excuses. |
| excusen | Middle English (enm) | |
| excuse | English (eng) | (countable, uncountable) Explanation designed to avoid or alleviate guilt or negative judgment; a plea offered in extenuation of a fault.. (legal) A defense to a criminal or civil charge wherein the accused party admits to doing acts for which legal consequences would normally be appropriate, but asserts that special circumstances relieve that party of culpability for having done those [...] |