intercept

Where does the word "intercept" come from? It comes from Latin intercipere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Intercept’s story begins in Latin: intercipere meant “to take between, to seize on the way.” To take between, from inter- (between) and capere (to take). It reached English by 1400s as intercept. Settled as the English word for stopping something before it reaches its destination. Today, intercept means to stop, seize, or interrupt something before it reaches its intended destination.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient intercipere "to take between, to seize on the way", to take between, from inter- (between) and capere (to take).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s intercept "to stop or seize something before it reaches its destination", settled as the English word for stopping something before it reaches its destination.