English
embattle
Embattle comes from Old French embataillier ‘to array for battle’.
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400embataillier‘to array for battle’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500enbatelen
- Englishearliest quotation 1851embattle
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400embataillier‘to array for battle’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500enbatelen
- Englishearliest quotation 1851embattle
Earliest quotation: 1851, Herman Melville, The Whale: “In behalf of the dignity of whaling, I would…”
Every English word from Old French embataillier
Another origin of embattle
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEin‘in, into’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400*embastillerreconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500enbatelen
- Englishtodayembattle
Today it means
verb To arrange in order of battle; to array for battle.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old French embataillier / embattle