Apprehension
/ˌæp.rɪˈhen.ʃən/noun
The act of perceiving, understanding, or seizing; also a feeling of anxiety or dread.
Did you know?The word comes through Latin from **prehendere**, “to seize,” the same root behind **comprehend**, **apprehend**, and even the old idea that understanding is a kind of mental capture.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ghend-
“to seize, take hold of”
Latin
Latin
prehendere
“to seize, grasp, capture”
Late Latin
Latin
apprehendere
“to seize, catch, grasp mentally”
Old French
Old French
aprehension
“seizure; mental grasp; fear or anxiety”
Middle English
English
apprehensioun
“the act of apprehending; understanding; anxiety”
Modern English
English
apprehension
“the act of understanding or perceiving; nervous anticipation or fear”
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