surrender

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

Surrender’s story begins in Latin: super reddere meant “to give up over.” To give up over, from super- (over) and reddere (to give back). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as surrendre. Carried into French for giving oneself up or handing something over. It reached English by 1400s as surrender. Settled as the English word for giving up control or ceasing resistance. Today, surrender means to give up control, possession, or resistance, especially to an opponent.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient super reddere "to give up over", to give up over, from super- (over) and reddere (to give back).
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval surrendre "to give oneself up, to hand over", carried into French for giving oneself up or handing something over.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s surrender "to give up control or cease resistance", settled as the English word for giving up control or ceasing resistance.