English
ensearch
Ensearch comes from Middle English enserchen ‘to scrutinise oneself’, and goes back to Old French encerchier ‘to look for’.
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400encerchier‘to look for’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500enserchen‘to scrutinise oneself’
- Englishearliest quotation 1531ensearch
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400encerchier‘to look for’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500enserchen‘to scrutinise oneself’
- Englishearliest quotation 1531ensearch
Earliest quotation: 1531, Thomas Elyot, The Boke Named the Governour […]: “by all the means you can to ensearch whether…”
Every English word from Old French encerchier
Today it means
verb To search; to try to find something.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old French encerchier / ensearch