1615-25; < Latinnegātus (past participle of negāre to deny, refuse), equivalent to neg- (variant of nec not; see neglect) + -ā- theme vowel + -tus past participle suffix
Related forms
negator, negater, noun
renegate, verb (used with object), renegated, renegating.
1795 (with an isolated use from 1620s), back-formation from negation, or else from Latin negatus, past participle of negare. Related: Negated; negates; negating.