English
interpose
Interpose comes from Middle French interposer, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- ‘to cultivate’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱey-‘to cultivate’root as named · steps between not traced
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600interposer
- Englishearliest quotation 1599interpose
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*tḱey-‘to cultivate’root as named · steps between not traced
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600interposer
- Englishearliest quotation 1599interpose
Earliest quotation: 1599, The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar: “What watchful cares do interpose themselves Betwixt your eyes…”
The story
From Middle French interposer, influenced by poser (‘to place, put’), from Latin interpōnō, from inter (‘between’) + pōnō (‘to place, put’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- ‘to cultivate’
situation, site, post, position, positive, homeless, purpose, suppose, compound, opponent, hamlet, consolation, bohemian, propose, expose, impose, repository, dispose, compose, homely, proponent, exponent, posit, expound, situate, hame, situs, pone, 68 more
Today it means
verb To insert something (or oneself) between other things.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *tḱey- / interpose