Etymology Map
Back to all words

Inundate

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to flood; to overwhelm

Where does the word "inundate" come from? It comes from Latin inundare, adopted directly into English (1620s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
inundare
Latin · ancient
"to overflow"
'in-' plus 'unda', wave
2
Stage 2 of 2
inundate
English · 1620s
"to flood"
'inundated with requests' dates from the 1800s
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Inundate’s story begins in Latin: inundare meant “to overflow.” 'in-' plus 'unda', wave. It reached English by 1620s as inundate. 'inundated with requests' dates from the 1800s. Today, inundate means to flood; to overwhelm.