averruncatev.

Etymology: < classical Latin āverruncāt-, past participial stem (see -ate suffix³) of āverruncāre to ward off, avert (in religious contexts), in post-classical Latin also (probably by folk-etymological association with ēruncāre eruncate v.) to uproot, abolish (in an undated glossary), of uncertain origin (see note). Similar reanalysis of the Latin word as though formed from ab- ab- prefix + ēruncāre eruncate v. is probably reflected by post-classical Latin aberuncare : see discussion at aberuncate v.Classical Latin āverruncāre may derive < ā- , variant of ab- ab- prefix + verruncāre (in religious contexts) to turn out (in a certain way), but the latter could in fact be a back formation from the former (which is much more widely attested); the word may instead be related to āverrere to sweep away ( < ā- + verrere to sweep: see verricule n.), perhaps influenced by runcāre to weed (see runcation n.). Compare Middle French averronquer to ward off, avert (1599), to weed out (1611 in Cotgrave, who gives the definition ‘to purge, or weed; to turne, put, or take away euill; to divert mischiefes; also to appease’).