English
succumb
Succumb comes from Old French succomber ‘to succumb’, from Latin *cumbō ‘to lie down, recline’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱewb-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kumbōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CE*cumbō‘to lie down, recline’reconstructed
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuccumbere
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400succomber‘to succumb’
- Englishearliest quotation 1976succumb
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱewb-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kumbōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CE*cumbō‘to lie down, recline’reconstructed
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuccumbere
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400succomber‘to succumb’
- Englishearliest quotation 1976succumb
Earliest quotation: 1976, Untitled cartoon: “Upon returning to his flat, he discovered much to…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb-
hip, cove, incumbent, cubicle, hobble, incubus, shoop, incubate, cubit, 14 more
through Latin *cumbō ‘to lie down, recline’
Today it means
verb To yield to an overpowering force or overwhelming desire.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb- / succumb