Advertisement

Origin and history of entre-

entre-

in words from French, corresponds to English enter-, which is itself from French entre "between, among" (11c.), from Latin inter (see inter-).

also from 11c.

Entries linking to entre-

enterprise(n.)

early 15c., "an undertaking," formerly also enterprize, from Old French enterprise "an undertaking," noun use of fem. past participle of entreprendre "undertake, take in hand" (12c.), from entre- "between" (see entre-) + prendre "to take," contraction of prehendere "to catch hold of, seize" (from prae- "before," see pre-, + -hendere, from PIE root *ghend- "to seize, take"). Abstract sense of "adventurous disposition, readiness to undertake challenges, spirit of daring" is from late 15c.

interfere(v.)

formerly also enterfere, mid-15c., enterferen, "intermingle or mix (different things), interpose," also "to interfere," from Old French enterferer "exchange blows, strike each other," from entre- "between" (see entre-) + ferir "to strike," from Latin ferire "to knock, strike," related to Latin forare "to bore, pierce" (from PIE root *bhorh- "hole"). Compare punch (v.), which has both the senses "to hit" and "to make a hole in").

Figurative sense of "to meddle with, oppose unrightfully" is attested from 1630s. Related: Interfered; interfering. Modern French interférer is from English.

Advertisement

More to explore

interlace
formerly also enterlace, late 14c. (trans.), "unite by crossing the laces," thus, "entangle, bind together," from Old French entrelacier (12c.), from entre- (see entre-) "between" + lacier "to tie, entangle," from laz (see lace (n.)). Intransitive sense from 1590s. Television sen
entertain
(someone) in a certain frame of mind," from Old French entretenir "hold together, stick together, support" (12c.), from entre...
surrealism
De cette alliance nouvelle, car jusqu'ici les décors et les costumes d'une part, la chorégraphie d'autre part, n'avaient entre...
interview
from French entrevue, verbal noun from s'entrevoir "to see each other, visit each other briefly, have a glimpse of," from entre...
invention
early 15c., invencioun, "finding or discovering of something," from Old French invencion (13c.) and directly from Latin inventionem (nominative inventio) "faculty of invention," noun of action from past-participle stem of invenire "to come upon, find; find out; invent, discover,
virtue
c. 1200, vertu, "moral life and conduct; a particular moral excellence," from Anglo-French and Old French vertu "force, strength, vigor; moral strength; qualities, abilities" (10c. in Old French), from Latin virtutem (nominative virtus) "moral strength, high character, goodness;
coherence
1580s, "suitable connection or dependence, consistency" (in narrative or argument), also more literally "act or state of sticking or cleaving of one thing to another," from French cohérence (16c.), from Latin cohaerentia, abstract noun from cohaerentem (nominative cohaerens), pre
conversion
mid-14c., originally of religion, "a radical and complete change in spirit, purpose, and direction of life away from sin and toward love of God," from Old French conversion "change, transformation, entry into religious life; way of life, behavior; dwelling, residence; sexual inte
blacklist
also black-list, "list of persons who have incurred suspicion, earned punishment, or are for any reason deemed objectionable by the makers and users of the list," 1610s, from black (adj.), here indicative of disgrace, censure, punishment (a sense attested from 1590s, in black boo
malignant
1560s, in reference to diseases, "virulent, tending to produce death," from French malignant and directly from Late Latin malignantem (nominative malignans) "acting from malice," present participle of malignare "injure maliciously," from Latin malignus "wicked, bad-natured," from

Share entre-

Advertisement
Trending
Dictionary entries near entre-
Advertisement