Etymology

From minaccia ‎(“threat”) or from a Vulgar Latin root *mināciāre, from Latin mināciae ‎(“threats”) < minācia, from minax ‎(“threatening”), from minārī, present active infinitive of minor ‎(“threaten”). Compare Catalan amenaçar, French menacer, Occitan amenaçar, Portuguese ameaçar, Romanian ameninţa, Friulian menaçâ, Sicilian amminazzari, Spanish amenazar.