Put out or stopped a fire, light, or flame; ended or destroyed something completely.
From Latin 'exstinguere' combining 'ex-' (out) and 'stinguere' (to prick or put out). The root suggests pricking out a flame like you would snuff a candle.
The phrase 'extinguish a debt' or 'extinguish legal rights' shows the word was used metaphorically for centuries before fire extinguishers were even invented—meaning 'to completely end.'
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