English
incur
Incur comes from Latin incurrō ‘to happen (to), befall, occur, to incur’, from currō ‘to run’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱers-‘to run’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱr̥s-é-tireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*korzō‘to run’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcurrō‘to run’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEincurrōas incurrere‘to happen (to), befall, occur, to incur’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400encorre
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400encurir
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500incurren
- Englishearliest quotation 1605incur
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱers-‘to run’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱr̥s-é-tireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*korzō‘to run’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcurrō‘to run’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEincurrōas incurrere‘to happen (to), befall, occur, to incur’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400encorre
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400encurir
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500incurren
- Englishearliest quotation 1605incur
Earliest quotation: 1605, Geo[rge] Chapman: “Lest you incur me much more damage in my…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- ‘to run’
career, charge, carry, rush, carrier, cargo, carriage, hurry, chariot, intercourse, occurrence, carousel, recourse, corral, caricature, hurrah, recursive, cursory, carrack, 35 more
through Proto-Italic *korzō ‘to run’
corridor, discourse, courier, concurrent, recurrent, concourse, 20 more
through Latin currō ‘to run’
course, current, occur, curriculum, currency, precursor, corsair, cursor, concur, courant, recursion, hussar, succour, recur, 24 more
Today it means
verb To bring upon oneself or expose oneself to, especially something inconvenient, harmful, or onerous; to become liable or subject to.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- / incur