impose

Where does the word "impose" come from? It comes from Latin im ponere, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

Impose’s story begins in Latin: im ponere meant “to place upon.” To place upon, from in- (upon) and ponere (to place). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as imposer. Carried into French for forcing something upon someone. It reached English by 1400s as impose. Settled as the English word for forcing something to be accepted. Today, impose means to force a rule, tax, belief, or burden upon someone.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient im ponere "to place upon", to place upon, from in- (upon) and ponere (to place).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval imposer "to force something upon someone", carried into French for forcing something upon someone.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s impose "to force something to be accepted or applied", settled as the English word for forcing something to be accepted.