Sus
/sʌs/noun
An informal abbreviation meaning suspicious or suspect.
Did you know?“Sus” is a modern shortening of “suspicious” or “suspect,” ultimately linked to Latin suspicere, meaning both “to look up at” and “to suspect.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*spek-
“To observe, look at, or examine.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
skopein
“To look at, examine, or investigate; the source of English words such as “scope.””
Classical Latin
Latin
specere
“To look at or see; a verb connected with the wider family of words descended from *spek-.”
Classical Latin
Latin
suspicere
“To look up at, regard with mistrust, or suspect; formed with sub- and specere.”
14th Century
Anglo-French/English
suspect
“A person regarded as possibly guilty, or to regard someone as doubtful or suspicious.”
20th Century
English slang
sus
“A shortened slang form of “suspect” or “suspicious,” especially associated with British and Australian usage.”
Modern English
English
sus
“A widely popular internet and gaming slang term for anything appearing suspicious or untrustworthy.”