English
preoccupation
Preoccupation comes from Latin occupatio ‘seizing, occupying’, from capiō ‘capture, seize’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kapyéti‘to be grasping’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kapjō‘to take, seize’reconstructed
- Archaic Latinc. 700–75 BCEkapiō
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcapiō‘capture, seize’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEoccupō‘to occupy, fill, take up’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEoccupatio‘seizing, occupying’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraeoccupātiō
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600préoccupation
- Englishearliest quotation 1987preoccupation
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kapyéti‘to be grasping’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kapjō‘to take, seize’reconstructed
- Archaic Latinc. 700–75 BCEkapiō
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcapiō‘capture, seize’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEoccupō‘to occupy, fill, take up’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEoccupatio‘seizing, occupying’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpraeoccupātiō
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600préoccupation
- Englishearliest quotation 1987preoccupation
Earliest quotation: 1987, Latin American Research Review: “The same preoccupation with developing a conceptual framework is…”
Equivalent to pre- + occupation
Proto-Indo-European *kap- ‘to seize, grab’
Latin occupō ‘occupy, seize’
Latin occupātiō ‘seizing, occupying’
Middle French occupacion
Middle English occupacioun
English occupation
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kap-
had, head, except, capital, heavy, captain, catch, chapter, escape, capacity, achieve, behavior, heavily, cape, chef, cabin, haven, acceptance, chapel, cattle, behave, capitol, capita, hawk, captive, captivity, chaplain, cad, mischief, conceive, mischievous, conceivable, precipitation, haves, capillary, chieftain, capo, cabana, caddie, heaviness, 138 more
through Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti ‘to be grasping’
through Proto-Italic *kapjō ‘to take, seize’
case, capsule, cashier, chassis, cassette, casket, kas, cajon, chasse, 27 more
through Archaic Latin kapiō
acceptable, imperceptible, 23 more
through Latin capiō ‘capture, seize’
cash, receive, accept, cable, capable, chase, cop, capture, recipe, perception, recipient, reception, susceptible, cater, anticipate, deceive, caption, deception, deceit, deceptive, anticipation, receivable, captor, perceptible, captivate, sashay, preceptor, 25 more
Today it means
noun The state of being preoccupied or an idea that preoccupies the mind; enthrallment.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kap- / preoccupation