English
ensue
Ensue comes from Latin īnsequi ‘to pursue, follow, follow after’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sékʷetor‘to be following’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sekʷōr‘to follow, come/go after’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequoras sequi‘follow’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsequi‘to pursue, follow, follow after’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsequere
- Englishearliest quotation 1593ensue
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sékʷetor‘to be following’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sekʷōr‘to follow, come/go after’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequoras sequi‘follow’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsequi‘to pursue, follow, follow after’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsequere
- Englishearliest quotation 1593ensue
Earliest quotation: 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […]: “After ſo bad a beginning, whats like to inſue?”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’
see, say, second, social, saw, society, executive, sight, associate, suite, saga, subsequent, consequence, consequently, sue, intrinsic, sequential, dissociation, sequestration, dissociate, extrinsic, seg, sequester, 30 more
through Proto-Italic *sekʷōr ‘to follow, come/go after’
through Latin sequor ‘follow’
suit, prosecution, consecutive, execute, sequence, pursue, persecution, sequel, sect, executor, persecute, consequent, sequitur, segue, 18 more
Today it means
verb To follow (a leader, inclination etc.).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- / ensue