Frustrate
/ˈfrʌs.treɪt/noun
To make someone feel annoyed, discouraged, or unable to achieve something.
Did you know?It comes from Latin *frustratus*, tied to *frustra* meaning “in vain” or “for nothing,” so the word itself carries the energy of wasted effort and failed intention.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dhreu-
“to deceive, make false, or be mistaken”
Latin
Latin
frustra
“in vain, to no purpose, fruitlessly”
Latin
Latin
frustrari
“to deceive, disappoint, or thwart”
Late Latin
Latin
frustratus
“deceived, hindered, made vain”
14th Century
Old French
frustrer
“to disappoint, deprive, or make ineffective”
Late Middle English
English
frustraten
“to make ineffectual or prevent from succeeding”
Modern English
English
frustrate
“to thwart or cause annoyance by preventing success”
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