English
suit
Suit comes from Middle English sute ‘matching clothes’, from Anglo-Norman suite, from Vulgar Latin *sequita, from Latin sequor ‘to follow’.
- 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’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequor‘to follow’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*sequitareconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400suite
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sute‘clothes, matching clothing’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588suit
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
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’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequor‘to follow’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*sequitareconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400suite
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sute‘clothes, matching clothing’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588suit
Earliest quotation: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “Tam[burlaine]. Are you the wittie King of Perſea? Myc[etes].…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’
see, say, second, social, saw, society, executive, sight, associate, subsequent, consequence, consequently, saga, sue, intrinsic, sequential, sequestration, dissociation, extrinsic, sequester, dissociate, seg, ensuite, 32 more
through Vulgar Latin sequor
sequence, consecutive, prosecution, sequel, pursue, execute, persecution, sect, consequent, executor, persecute, ensue, segue, sequitur, 18 more
Today it means
noun A set of clothes to be worn together, now especially a man's matching jacket and trousers (also business suit or lounge suit), or a similar outfit for a woman.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- / suit