The word **“repression”** comes from Latin and has evolved through Old French and Middle English. Here’s a breakdown of its etymology:
• **Latin:** _repressio_ → derived from _reprimere_ (to press back, restrain, suppress).
• _re-_ (again, back) + _premere_ (to press, push down).
• This suggests the original meaning of **pushing something back or holding it down**.
• **Old French:** _répression_ → carried the sense of suppressing or restraining.
• **Middle English (14th–15th century):** _repression_ → adopted with meanings related to **forcing something back or keeping something under [[Control]]**, often in a political or psychological sense.
By the 19th century, **psychological repression** (as used by Freud) emerged, referring to the [[Unconscious]] suppression of desires, memories, or thoughts.
The word retains its core meaning across different contexts—whether describing political oppression, emotional [[Control]], or psychological suppression.
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