derailed
UK[diːˈreɪld]US[diːˈreɪld]
verb (past tense and past participle)
Caused a train or other vehicle to leave its tracks.
verb (past tense and past participle)
Caused a plan, process, or person to go off course or fail.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
rail
ed
de
off, away
rail
track
ed
verb suffix, past tense
Etymology
The word 'derailed' is built from the verb 'derail,' which entered English in the mid-19th century with the rise of railways. It combines the Latin prefix 'de-' (off, away) with the noun 'rail,' which originates from the Latin 'regula' (a straight stick, rule), via Old French. The literal meaning, "to cause to leave the rails," perfectly captures the physical action. This vivid imagery was later extended metaphorically to describe any process, plan, or career that is suddenly thrown off its intended course or track.
Analysis
Structure: de (off, away) + rail (track) + ed (verb suffix, past tense)
de: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "off, away from, down."
rail: Old French origin (reille, from Latin regula meaning "straight stick, rule"), referring to a metal bar forming part of a track.
ed: Old English origin, a suffix used to form the past tense and past participle of regular verbs.
Examples
The freight train was derailed by a fallen tree on the tracks.
The urgent financial crisis derailed the company's long-term expansion strategy.
His controversial comments completely derailed the political discussion.