- impediment (n.)
- c. 1400, from Old French empedement or directly from Latin impedimentum "hindrance," from impedire "impede," literally "to shackle the feet," from assimilated form of in- "into, in" (see in- (2)) + pes (genitive pedis) "foot," from PIE root *ped- (1) "a foot" (see foot (n.)). Related: Impedimental.
