renege
UK[rɪˈneɪɡ]US[rɪˈnɪɡ]
v
To go back on a promise, commitment, or agreement.
v
(in card games) To fail to follow suit when able to do so, breaking the rules.
Etymology
The word 'renege' entered English in the mid-16th century from the Medieval Latin renegare, which itself was formed from the Latin intensive prefix re- (again) combined with negare (to deny). This Latin root, negare, is the source of English words like 'deny' and 'negative', and traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root ne-, meaning 'not'. The original sense was a strong denial or renunciation, particularly of a faith or belief. Over time, the meaning broadened to the more general act of denying or going back on any formal promise or commitment. The specific card-playing sense developed later, directly from the idea of denying or refusing to follow the expected suit.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword. Its core component 'reneg-' is derived from the Medieval Latin verb renegare, meaning 'to deny'. The '-e' is a standard English verbal suffix.
Examples
The company reneged on its contract to provide full-time employment.
He promised to support the bill, but later reneged under pressure from lobbyists.
She lost the trick because she accidentally reneged when she still had a card of the required suit.