English
suspense
Suspense comes from Latin suspēnsus ‘suspended’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuspēnsus‘suspended’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400suspens
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500suspense
- Englishearliest quotation 1636suspense
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsuspēnsus‘suspended’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400suspens
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500suspense
- Englishearliest quotation 1636suspense
Earliest quotation: 1636, John Denham, The Destruction of Troy, an Essay upon the Second Book of Vi: “Ten days the prophet in suspense remain'd.”
Every English word from Latin suspēnsus
Today it means
noun The condition of being suspended; cessation for a time.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin suspēnsus / suspense