Encumber
/ɪnˈkʌm.bər/noun
To hinder or weigh down; to burden or burden with restrictions.
Did you know?Encumber comes through Old French from a Latin verb tied to the idea of blocking or crowding something in, which is why the word still feels like a force pressing in on you.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kom-
“with, together”
Latin
Latin
cum
“with, together”
Late Latin
Latin
comburare / cumbrāre
“to crowd together, obstruct”
Old French
Old French
encumbrer
“to obstruct, impede, burden”
Middle English
English
encumren
“to hinder, burden, oppress”
Modern English
English
encumber
“to burden or hinder”