surrogate

Where does the word "surrogate" come from? It comes from Latin rogare, passing through Latin before entering English (1600s).

Surrogate’s story begins in Latin: rogare meant “to ask.” To ask, combined with sub- (in place of). Within Latin, it grew into subrogare by ancient. To elect as a substitute, from sub- and rogare. By ancient, Latin speakers had reshaped it into surrogatus. Substituted, appointed in place of another, from subrogare. It reached English by 1600s as surrogate. Settled as the English word for a substitute acting in place of another. Today, surrogate means a person or thing that acts as a substitute for another.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient rogare "to ask", to ask, combined with sub- (in place of).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient subrogare "to elect as a substitute", to elect as a substitute, from sub- and rogare.
3. Stage 3 · Latin · ancient surrogatus "substituted, appointed in place of another", substituted, appointed in place of another, from subrogare.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1600s surrogate "a substitute acting in place of another", settled as the English word for a substitute acting in place of another.