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Origin and history of frustrate

frustrate(v.)

"make of no avail, bring to nothing, prevent from taking effect or coming to fulfillment," mid-15c., from Latin frustratus, past participle of frustrari "to deceive, disappoint, make vain," from frustra (adv.) "in vain, in error," which is related to fraus "injury, harm," a word of uncertain origin (see fraud). Related: Frustrated; frustrating.

also from mid-15c.

Entries linking to frustrate

fraud(n.)

mid-14c., "criminal deception" (mid-13c. in Anglo-Latin); from Old French fraude "deception, fraud" (13c.), from Latin fraudem (nominative fraus) "a cheating, deceit," of persons "a cheater, deceiver," of uncertain origin. Connections have been proposed to Sanskrit dhruti- "deception; error."

Meaning "a fraudulent production, something intended to deceive" is from 1650s. The meaning "impostor, deceiver, pretender; humbug" is attested from 1850. Pious fraud (1560s) is properly "deception practiced for the sake of what is deemed a good purpose;" colloquially used as "person who talks piously but is not pious at heart."

frustrated(adj.)

"disappointed," 1640s, past-participle adjective from frustrate.

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