Siege
/siːdʒ/noun
A military operation in which forces surround a place to force surrender.
Did you know?The English word ultimately traces back to Latin and Old French terms for a seat or sitting, showing how the idea of 'making someone stay put' hardened into a word for military encirclement.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sed-
“to sit”
Latin
Latin
sedēre
“to sit”
Late Latin
Latin
sedicium
“a sitting or encampment”
Old French
Old French
sege
“a seat; also a military blockade or encampment”
Middle English
English
siege
“a military encirclement or blockade”
Modern English
English
siege
“the surrounding of a place by armed forces to force surrender”