English
segue
Segue comes from Italian segue ‘it follows’, 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 CEsequor‘to follow, to come or go after, to pursue’
- Italianc. 1300–presentseguire‘to follow’
- Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentsegue‘it follows’
- Englishearliest quotation 2009same form
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 CEsequor‘to follow, to come or go after, to pursue’
- Italianc. 1300–presentseguire‘to follow’
- Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentsegue‘it follows’
- Englishearliest quotation 2009same form
Earliest quotation: 2009, Rosie DiManno, Murder reduced to infantile online postings: “Then, in a staggering display of empathy for the…”
The story
Borrowed from Italian segue (‘it follows’), from seguire (‘to follow’), from Latin sequor; originally a term used in a musical score to indicate that the next movement or passage is to follow without a break.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’
say, see, social, second, saw, society, executive, sight, associate, suite, subsequent, saga, sue, consequence, consequently, intrinsic, sequential, dissociation, sequestration, extrinsic, dissociate, sequester, seg, 30 more
through Proto-Italic *sekʷōr ‘to follow, come/go after’
through Latin sequor ‘to follow, to come or go after, to pursue’
suit, consecutive, pursue, execute, sequence, prosecution, persecution, sequel, sect, executor, consequent, ensue, persecute, sequitur, 18 more
Today it means
verb To move smoothly from one state or subject to another.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- / segue