conquer

Where does the word "conquer" come from? It comes from Latin conquirere, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Conquer’s story begins in Latin: conquirere meant “to seek out thoroughly, to acquire.” To seek out thoroughly, to acquire, from com- (thoroughly) and quaerere (to seek). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as conquerre. Narrowed in French to mean gaining control by force. It reached English by 1200s as conquer. Settled as the English word for defeating and taking control of something. Today, conquer means to overcome and take control of a place, people, or difficulty by force.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient conquirere "to seek out thoroughly, to acquire", to seek out thoroughly, to acquire, from com- (thoroughly) and quaerere (to seek).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval conquerre "to gain control by force", narrowed in French to mean gaining control by force.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s conquer "to defeat and take control of a place or people", settled as the English word for defeating and taking control of something.