Surprise
/sərˈpraɪz/noun
A feeling of shock or astonishment caused by something unexpected.
Did you know?The word 'surprise' has roots linking it to the concept of 'taking' or 'seizing,' hinting at an unexpected invasion of reality!
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
surprisen
“To seize or overtake suddenly.”
Old French
Old French
surprendre
“To take or seize suddenly.”
Late Latin
Latin
superprehendere
“To seize or take over.”
Latin
Latin
prehendere
“To seize or grasp.”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷhrē-
“To take, seize, or grasp.”
Explore more surprising origins