Etymograph

English

support

Support comes from Latin supportō ‘to carry, bring, convey or transport’, and goes back to portō.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportō‘to carry’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsupportō‘to carry’
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400supporter
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500supporten
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1681support

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEportō‘to carry’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsupportō‘to carry’
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400supporter
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500supporten
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1681support

Earliest quotation: 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or: “This fierce demeanour and his insolence / The patience…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *per-

first, before, far, per, price, private, press, further, practice, fear, pre, primary, prime, prior, prize, appreciate, pregnant, practical, afford, opportunity, precious, praise, ford, interpretation, privilege, parade, par, ferry, pirate, fare, forth, pardon, primitive, prix, interpreter, pragmatic, privy, prism, proton, portable, 143 more

through Proto-Italic *portā ‘gate’

porch, portal, porta, portico, 21 more

through Proto-Italic *portāō ‘to carry’

sport, rapporteur, 14 more

through Latin portō ‘to carry’

report, transport, importance, export, import, porter, deport, rapport, comport, 14 more

Another origin of support

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500support
  2. Englishtodaysame form

Today it means

verb To help keep from falling.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin portō / support

Shirt and support for this word