English
suborn
Suborn comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- ‘to fit, to fix, to put together, to slot’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂er-‘to fit, to fix, to put together, to slot’root as named · steps between not traced
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400suburner
- Englishearliest quotation 1592suborn
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂er-‘to fit, to fix, to put together, to slot’root as named · steps between not traced
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400suburner
- Englishearliest quotation 1592suborn
Earliest quotation: 1592, Thomas Nashe, Strange Newes: “I wiſh unto thee all ſuperabundant increaſe of the…”
The story
Borrowed from Anglo-Norman suburner, subhorner, and Middle French suborner, subourner (‘to induce (someone) to commit a crime (specifically perjury) or wrongdoing’) (modern French suborner (‘to suborn; to bribe’)), and from its etymon Latin subōrnāre, the present active infinitive of subōrnō (‘to incite, instigate, suborn; to instruct one for a secret purpose; to adorn, dress; to equip, furnish, provide; to make one appear as (something)’), from sub- (prefix meaning ‘under’) + ōrnō (‘to equip, furnish, provide; to adorn, decorate, ornament’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- (‘to put together, fit; to fix; to slot’)).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- ‘to fit, to fix, to put together, to slot’
reason, art, ready, order, rate, article, army, artist, arm, ratio, alarm, ordinary, harmony, coordination, armor, coordinate, arthritis, articulate, anarchy, arithmetic, harmonic, artisan, ordination, aristocratic, inertia, harmonious, articulation, inert, armament, ornament, ordinate, ornate, armadillo, harmonize, rta, ordinator, artifice, armature, archon, rime, 80 more
Today it means
verb To induce (someone) to commit an unlawful or malicious act, especially in a corrupt manner.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- / suborn