confound

Where does the word "confound" come from? It comes from Latin fundere, passing through Latin and Old French before entering English (1300s).

Confound’s story begins in Latin: fundere meant “to pour, to melt.” To pour, to melt, combined with com- (together). Within Latin, it grew into confundere by ancient. To pour together, to mix up, from com- and fundere. From there it passed into Old French as confondre by medieval. Carried into French for confusing or mixing things up. It reached English by 1300s as confound. Settled as the English word for confusing or bewildering someone. Today, confound means to confuse or bewilder someone, or to fail to distinguish between things.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient fundere "to pour, to melt", to pour, to melt, combined with com- (together).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient confundere "to pour together, to mix up", to pour together, to mix up, from com- and fundere.
3. Stage 3 · Old French · medieval confondre "to confuse or mix things up", carried into French for confusing or mixing things up.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1300s confound "to confuse or bewilder someone", settled as the English word for confusing or bewildering someone.