English
semble
Semble comes from Old French sembler ‘to resemble’, from Late Latin similāre ‘a fax machine’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘together, one’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-‘together, one’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*semalis‘similiar’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimilis‘similar’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEsimilāre‘a fax machine’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sembler‘to resemble’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500semblen
- Englishearliest quotation 1706semble
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-‘together, one’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*semalis‘similiar’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimilis‘similar’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEsimilāre‘a fax machine’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sembler‘to resemble’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500semblen
- Englishearliest quotation 1706semble
Earliest quotation: 1706, Matthew Prior: “Where sembling art may carve the fair effect.”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘together, one’
some, same, single, simply, simple, soft, sam, seem, sincerely, singular, similarity, simultaneous, anomaly, sincerity, assimilate, resemblance, anomalous, homeopathic, homology, insincere, hyphen, synapse, homolog, synchronise, sempre, 47 more
through Latin similis ‘similar’
similar, simulation, simulate, assemblage, simile, simulacrum, 21 more
Today it means
verb To imitate; to make a representation or likeness.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sem- / semble