English
absorption
Absorption comes from Latin absorptiō ‘a sucking in’, from absorbeō ‘absorb’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *srebʰ- ‘to sip, gulp, suck (in)’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*srebʰ-‘to sip, gulp, suck (in)’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*srobʰéyeti‘to be sipping, sucking’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sorβeō‘to suck in’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsorbeō‘to suck in, drink up’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEabsorbeō‘absorb’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEabsorptiō‘a sucking in’
- Englishearliest quotation 1934absorption
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*srebʰ-‘to sip, gulp, suck (in)’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*srobʰéyeti‘to be sipping, sucking’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sorβeō‘to suck in’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsorbeō‘to suck in, drink up’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEabsorbeō‘absorb’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEabsorptiō‘a sucking in’
- Englishearliest quotation 1934absorption
Earliest quotation: 1934, Ernest Bramah: “A complete absorption testified their breathless interest.”
Formed from absorb + -tion
Proto-Indo-European *srebʰ- ‘to sip’
…
Latin sorbeō ‘suck in, swallow’
Latin absorbeō ‘swallow up’
Old French assorbir
Middle French absorber
English absorb
first attested First attested in 1597 (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1597.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *srebʰ- ‘to sip, gulp, suck (in)’
through Latin absorbeō ‘absorb’
Today it means
noun The act or process of absorbing or of being absorbed as,
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *srebʰ- / absorption